Mikey Madison Biography: Age, Movies, Career, Family, and Interesting Facts About the American Actress

Mikey Madison is an Academy Award-winning American actress known for her raw emotional depth, fearless screen presence, and versatile acting chops. After capturing audience attention in indie dramedies and blockbuster thrillers, her career reached international acclaim with her historic Oscar-winning performance in Sean Baker’s Anora.

Below is an overview of Mikey Madison’s background, breakthrough career, family life, and top trivia.

Quick Biography Snapshot

Early Life & Family Background

Born into a Jewish family in Los Angeles, California, Mikey Madison grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Both of her parents, Michael and Tracy Rosberg, work as professional psychologists. Growing up in an environment surrounded by discussions on human behavior helped spark her deep emotional understanding of characters.

Madison is the fourth of five children. She has four siblings: an identical or fraternal twin brother named Miles, a younger brother named Holden, and two older sisters, Tanya and Natasha.

During her childhood, Madison was an elite competitive horseback rider. She dedicated her early teen years to equestrian training and was homeschooled from the seventh grade onwards to balance her schedule. However, around age 14, after watching classic films with her father, she felt drawn to the intimacy and vulnerability of performance, choosing to shift her career path toward acting.

Career Breakthrough: From Television to Hollywood Stardom

1. Early Roles and TV Fame (Better Things)

Madison landed her first on-screen roles in independent shorts like Pani’s Box and Retirement before making her feature debut in Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey. In 2016, she earned critical recognition as Max Fox in FX’s critically acclaimed dramedy series Better Things. Over five seasons (2016–2022), her nuanced portrayal of a moody, authentic teenage daughter put her firmly on the map.

2. High-Profile Blockbusters (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood & Scream)

In 2019, Madison entered mainstream cinematic awareness by playing Susan “Sadie” Atkins, an unhinged Manson family follower, in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. She followed this up in 2022 by starring as villain Amber Freeman in the slasher reboot Scream. Her intense, physical performances in both films earned her a devoted following.

3. Critical Masterpiece: Anora (2024–2025)

Director Sean Baker specifically wrote the lead role of Ani in Anora with Madison in mind after watching her intense work in Tarantino’s film and Scream. Her portrayal of a street-smart Russian-American stripper in New York captured widespread adoration. The film won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, and Madison subsequently took home both the Academy Award for Best Actress and the BAFTA Award.

Notable Movies and TV Series

• Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey (2017) – Virginia
• Better Things (2016–2022, TV Series) – Max Fox
• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) – Susan “Sadie” Atkins
• The Addams Family (2019) – Candi the Barista (Voice)
• The Fallout (2021) – Carley
• Scream (2022) – Amber Freeman
• Lady in the Lake (2024, Miniseries) – Judith Weinstein
• Anora (2024) – Anora “Ani” Mikheeva

5 Interesting Facts About Mikey Madison

1. She Learned Russian & Pole Dancing for Anora: Dedicated to realism, she spent months training in professional pole dancing, learned conversational Russian, and performed all of her intense stunt choreography herself.
2. Competitive Equestrian Background: Before choosing acting at age 14, Madison was an accomplished competitive horseback rider.
3. No Social Media: Unlike most modern Hollywood stars, Madison stays completely off public social media platforms like Instagram or X, preferring a quiet, authentic lifestyle.
4. Has a Twin Brother: She shares a close bond with her twin brother, Miles Rosberg.
5. No Audition for Anora: Sean Baker offered her the lead role directly without an audition after tracking her dynamic screen presence across various genre films.