During Mikey Madison’s Oscar campaign, she gave a few interviews and she was often asked about what she had lined up post-awards season. Mikey was always non-committal, saying that she wanted to see what was out there, but it would be difficult to take on another project after her amazing experience on Anora. As in, she was looking for a spark, she was looking for another once-in-a-lifetime experience as an actress. Post-awards season, I’m sure this newly-minted Best Actress Oscar winner is getting her fair share of scripts and offers. Reportedly, she’s being pursued for a Colleen Hoover adaptation (it sounds like Mikey isn’t interested). And now this: she was offered a Star Wars movie and she turned it down cold.
Mikey Madison won’t journey into a Galaxy Far Far Away for her first project after picking up the best actress Oscar.
Sources tell Variety that Madison was offered a role in the new and untitled “Star Wars” movie directed by “Deadpool & Wolverine” filmmaker Shawn Levy, but conversations have since ended with the “Anora” star passing on the part.
As previously reported, screenwriter Jonathan Tropper (“This Is Where I Leave You,” “The Adam Project”) has been writing the screenplay for the film, which will star Ryan Gosling. Levy — who will join the rarefied club of directors who’ve worked with both Canadian movie stars named Ryan — has been developing the project since late 2022 and is also producing for his 21 Laps company, along with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.
The movie is said to be a standalone project that isn’t connected with the Skywalker Saga, which concluded with 2019’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” All other plot details are encased in carbonite for the foreseeable future.
I totally get why she passed. Disney/LucasFilm ruined a lot of Star Wars properties in the past decade, and the Star Wars fanbase makes it incredibly difficult for women to take space in these franchises. There’s a huge body of evidence that Disney and LucasFilm refuse to protect their actors too. So… yeah, why bother? Especially if you’re not even jazzed about the potential storyline. It would be really cool if Mikey envisions a more art-house type of career for herself. Like, more indie films, smaller projects, saying yes to first-time directors. I feel like too many good actors have thrown themselves into the “major franchise” machinery too quickly.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards at Beach on February 22, 2025 in Santa Monica, CA,Image: 967885693, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Mikey Madison, Credit line: Nicky Nelson/Wenn/Avalon
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- SANTA MONICA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – FEBRUARY 22: Mikey Madison wearing a Calvin Klein Collection dress arrives at the 40th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards 2025 held at the Santa Monica Beach on February 22, 2025 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 967925804, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Mikey Madison, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- Mikey Madison poses with the Oscar® for Actress in a Leading Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025.,Image: 971252574, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** EDITORIAL USE ONLY! * NB: Fees charged by Avalon are for Avalon’s services only, and do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright or License in the material. Avalon does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright or License in the attached material. By publishing this material you (the user) expressly agree to indemnify and to hold Avalon and its directors, shareholders and employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), or any causes of action or allegation against Avalon arising out of or connected in any way with publication of the material. * Handling Fee Only ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon
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- Mikey Madison poses backstage with the Oscar® for Actress in a Leading Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025.,Image: 971253299, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** EDITORIAL USE ONLY! * NB: Fees charged by Avalon are for Avalon’s services only, and do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright or License in the material. Avalon does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright or License in the attached material. By publishing this material you (the user) expressly agree to indemnify and to hold Avalon and its directors, shareholders and employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), or any causes of action or allegation against Avalon arising out of or connected in any way with publication of the material. * Handling Fee Only ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon
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- Mikey Madison poses backstage with the Oscar® for Actress in a Leading Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025.,Image: 971253323, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** EDITORIAL USE ONLY! * NB: Fees charged by Avalon are for Avalon’s services only, and do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright or License in the material. Avalon does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright or License in the attached material. By publishing this material you (the user) expressly agree to indemnify and to hold Avalon and its directors, shareholders and employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), or any causes of action or allegation against Avalon arising out of or connected in any way with publication of the material. * Handling Fee Only ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon
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- Mikey Madison bei der Oscar Verleihung 2025 / 97th Annual Academy Awards im Dolby Theatre. Los Angeles, 02.03.2025 *** Mikey Madison at the 2025 97th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre Los Angeles, 02 03 2025 Foto:xJ.xBlocx/xFuturexImagex oscars_5390,Image: 971263265, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Jennifer Bloc/Avalon
I guess she can take her pick of roles. Must be nice to have those options. I have friends who are working actors who will take what they can get. I keep thinking back to what Sydney Sweeney said about constantly working and not having the financial resources to take a break. Post-Covid and post-strike, many actors are still struggling to find work. Big budget studios offer money that an actor can live on while pursuing indie/arthouse film projects. I just wish they would consider all working actors for major roles in big budget films and not just the ones coming off major award wins or have huge celebrity status or following. This is just me advocating for my friends.
I would love if she became the Parker Posey of her generation and did good work in every decade throughout her career. Mikey Madison has a special talent that should be showcased with smart stories and excellent directors.
Star Wars has an unusually toxic fanbase and Disney/Lucas film has been really slow/reluctant to call out the nasty racists and sexists. I don’t think appearing in a Star Wars project is the big deal it would have been a decade ago because so many projects have tanked/not worked creatively and parts of the fan base are just ick. Good for her for playing the long game.
I really don’t blame her.
The last film chapters in the Star Wars saga have been clunky story-wise, generally (the original was a pretty simple story, but it was well done, and the story held together)
The Rey/Kylo Ren arc was lame IMO and was kind of all over the place, and in the later chapters seemed to have been bent based on >
The loud, narrowminded Star Wars fan-bros who whined and bullied and tried to drown out any and all other opinions and voices. And is incredibly bigoted. And is willing to personally attack, launch intense hate campaigns at the female and POC actors in the films and any SW projects that feature them.
And Disney/Lucas film and all the executives have done an absolutely crap job of defending those actors and have caved to the loudest, most bullying voices at every turn.
Madison maybe had a conversation or two with Kelly Tran, Daisy Ridley, John Bodega and decided to peace out of the Stars Wars Universe. Or she just had eyes, ears and a working memory and decided working on a Star Wars film wasn’t worth the hassle or the possible hate from loud threatening idiots.
She’s getting offers left, right, and centre, so no doubt she’s turning down a lot of what might seem amazing roles.
She was great in Anora. Much better than Demi (who should have won for something like GI Jane though. And Anora was a far better film than The “shallow as a puddle” Substance).
I started following her as an actress since for maybe 2 years ago. And even with her new stardom, I’ll have to say, she stayed true to herself. She’s the same as she was 2 years ago ,before she won the Bafta or the Oscar. Only picks the roles she was interested in to grow as an artist and she’s still humble. Not too many actresses are like her.