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Anything can happen when it comes to Hollywood casting. Take, for example, the rising star Mark Eidelstein who appeared in Sean Baker’sAnora, alongside Mikey Madison. Apparently, the actor had sent an unconventional audition tape, where he performed his lines nude. But for Madison, her casting in the 2024 raunchy drama was anything but typical.
According to the actress, while herAnoraco-star went out of his comfort zone to bag the role, Mikey Madison thankfully didn’t have to go through a similar situation to land her role. For her, it came easy. And the credit goes to Quentin Tarantino, who cast Madison inOnce Upon a Time… in Hollywood—leading Baker to discover her talent through that critically acclaimed project.
Mark Eidelstein recalled sending a nude audition tape forAnora
Given his popularity in directing independent feature films primarily surrounding immigrants and s*x workers,Sean Baker‘sAnorawas poised to be yet another critically acclaimed project of 2024. And therefore, the stars associated with the project put in immense effort to land the role and bring their characters to life.
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Well, it was particularly Mark Eidelstein, who claimed to go out of his comfort zone to land the role of Ivan, son of a Russian oligarch inAnora. Speaking withDeadline, the rising star admitted to sending a nude audition tape to Sean Baker, as he wanted to creatively convey his message through the screen.
It’s very risky in Hollywood to send nude self-tapes. But, it’s Ivan… I have no expensive clothes at all so I made the decision I will be nude and it will be honest, honest to Sean, honest to this story.
Stating how his onscreen role is of a wealthy character with fancy clothes, Mark Eidelstein claimed to struggle to find a way to express that wealth through limited resources. Further, given his struggles with English language dialogue during the audition, Eidelstein mentioned finally deciding to send a nude audition tape to gain the attention of Baker.
Unlike her co-star, Mikey Madison didn’t have to audition forAnora
Well, one bold choice of sending a nude audition tape to Sean Baker was enough for Mark Eidelstein to land the role of Ivan inAnora. But surprisingly, his co-starMikey Madisonneither had to go through the extreme extent nor did she have to audition either. Yes, while Eidelstein struggled to make a point, Madison was cast without an audition.
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And the whole credit for this goes to her previous appearance inQuentin Tarantino’sOnce Upon a Time… in HollywoodandScream, which locked the deal for Sean Baker. According to the director, right after discovering Mikey Madison through the two projects, he was convinced that she was the ideal actress for the lead role of Ani, a stripper and s*x worker who falls in love with Ivan.
Madison noted,
I didn’t even have to do a naked self tape to get the job. He just gave it to me and I’m so grateful.
However, casting was just the beginning of the journey that both Mark Eidelstein and Mikey Madison had passed with flying colors. Thereafter, the real challenge began of preparing for their respective roles and understanding their characters’ psyche. And thankfully, the duo excelled at that as well, turningAnorainto an Oscar frontrunner for the 2025 award season.
Anorais currently available to watch on Prime Video.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3218
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
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Mikey MadisonQuentin TarantinoSean Baker
