India, March 28 -- Sean Baker's film Anora swept the Oscars earlier this month in the major categories, taking home 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. The film, which stars Mikey Madison in the lead role, revolves around the titular sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Sean Baker has now revealed what convinced him to cast Mikey in the lead part. (Also read: Anora review: Mikey Madison delivers a star-making performance in Sean Baker's wild fairy tale gone haywire)

Before Anora, Mikey had done supporting roles, most notably in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time in. Hollywood. Sean Baker said in a press statement that it was her performance in that 2019 film which first caught his eye.

He said, ...