On Anora, Mikey Madison, and Quentin Tarantino: Redefining American Mythology

How the critical and commercial success of "Anora" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" reflect shifting cultures and ideologies.

Quentin Tarantino’s Academy Award-winning Once Upon a Time in Hollywood romanticizes the Hollywood “Old Guard” and seeks to remedy a tumultuous, countercultural 1960’s. Considering Tarantino’s global reach and command over the box office, this “revisionist history” ultimately idealizes and preserves a fictitious version of Hollywood's past.

Starring Mikey Madison in her breakout role as a Marilyn Manson follower, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood seemingly rejects “Me Too” neoliberalism in favor of a bygone era often criticized for perpetuating racism and misogyny.

While the role of women (or lack thereof) in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is extensively written about, the film’s legacy is much less reported.

"It wasn’t until six years later, after being cast as a Manson follower in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, when my character had a dog food can thrown at her face, was attacked by a pitbull, ran through a sliding glass door, tripped into a pool, and finally was set on fire by a flamethrower, that I finally felt I had started to make it in Hollywood.” – Mikey Madison, Access Hollywood

In the years since Once Upon a Time in Hollywood premiered in Los Angeles, Hollywood has survived three writer’s strikes, a global pandemic, as well as a major shift from movie theaters to digital streaming platforms.

It’s no surprise that the 97th Academy Awards recognized Mikey Madison this past weekend for her groundbreaking portrayal of Anora, a Brooklyn sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch.

Madison’s Best Actress nomination and subsequent win marks a significant ideological shift in both Hollywood and American culture as a whole.

New Archetypes: Redefining American Mythology

In the evolving landscape of American storytelling, Anora reimagines established archetypes to reflect contemporary values and conflicts. Whereas American myth historically centers figures like the rugged cowboy, the rebellious outlaw, or the stunt performer (according to Tarantino), Mikey Madison’s portrayal of Anora marks a significant shift towards representing women and marginalized communities.

Through the lens of Anora, Madison’s role is antithetical to that of the traditional protagonist. Instead of a quintessential frontier hero, Madison is a loud-mouthed stripper whose primary struggles intertwine with systemic forces, societal inequities, and internal emotional turmoil. By doing so, Anora embraces a more inclusive view of heroism and idealizes the working class, a common theme in director Sean Baker’s work.

This rise in blue-collar representation in mainstream Hollywood may also signify a greater political shift towards American nationalism, economic isolationism, and working class values.

Where Tarantino's film sought to preserve an idealized version of Hollywood's past, Anora represents a new American mythology entirely - one that earned both the Palme d'Or and Best Picture, suggesting that the industry's center of gravity has shifted dramatically. The film's success indicates that audiences are ready for stories that don't just reimagine America's past, but boldly envision its future.

Cultural Reflections: Why Anora Speaks to Modern America

By blending universal human concerns with uniquely American struggles, Anora has become a cultural phenomenon and a lens through which modern audiences explore their own values, challenges, and ideals.

Mikey Madison’s portrayal of Anora serves as a manifestation of the anxieties and aspirations of Millennials and Gen Z, whose lives are shaped by issues such as systemic inequality, environmental crises, and the search for authenticity in an age of social media curation. Through her character’s quiet defiance and vulnerability, Madison becomes a voice for individuals grappling with generational trauma while seeking meaningful connections. This duality—both deeply personal and broadly relatable—aligns with the cultural longing for stories that are grounded in truth yet sprinkled with the possibility of transformation.

Anora's journey also taps into the archetypal yet modern American experience of self-reinvention. The narrative subtly intertwines themes of perseverance, accountability, and redemption, a triad central to the American ethos. Her struggles and triumphs reflect the internal battles faced by individuals striving to redefine themselves in a society increasingly emphasizing performance over substance. Moreover, Madison’s ability to embody complexity without oversimplification mirrors the current cultural demand for flawed but empathetic heroes, a shift away from hyper-idealized portrayals.

An Emblem for Intersectionality

Anora challenges the traditional boundaries of identity and belonging, reflecting broader conversations around inclusivity and representation. Sean Baker’s work in upholding this vision demonstrates an acute awareness of the fractured but hopeful tapestry that makes up modern America. Audiences see themselves in Anora’s quiet resilience and unspoken fears, raising Mikey Madison to symbol status.

A symbol of hegemonic pluralism defining the nation, particularly relating to, Mikey Madison’s bold approach to Anora seeks to remedy institutional misogyny and sexploitation that haunts Hollywood’s past. In this biopic interplay of storytelling, performance, and cultural reflection, Sean Baker’s Anora and Mikey Madison truly speak to the heart of modern American.

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