Mikey Madison is truly deserving of every accolade, and her 2024 dark comedy-romance feature “Anora” is definitely a film that audiences should not overlook. The movie garnered six Academy Awards from more than 270 nominations and achieved 153 wins. In addition to the film winning Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Original Screenplay, star Mikey Madison also had significant victories. Yet, prior to making history as the first Gen Z actor to receive an Academy Award, she was portraying a character’s daughter on a well-regarded television series.
If you enjoy Madison’s performance in “Anora,” or if you’re simply in the mood for a nuanced tale of a single mother that manages to elicit laughter, then the FX series “Better Things” is surely worth exploring. It is available for streaming and boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes rating from both critics and viewers, alongside its own collection of nominations and awards.
It’s always exciting to witness future stars before they skyrocketed to fame, and Madison’s part in “Better Things” marked the turning point in her acting career. In a 2025 conversation with Deadline regarding her time on “Better Things,” Madison expressed, “I gained a lot from that show […] I never attended college or film school, so that’s my education. It’s my acting school, my film school.” Additionally, if you’re seeking more content featuring stars prior to their major film roles, you might want to explore an Apple TV series featuring Chase Infiniti
