Mikey Madison reveals why she didn't have an intimacy coordinator when filming scenes for raunchy Oscar-nominated film Anora

The star of the Oscars' raunchiest contender has revealed why she felt 'comfortable' forgoing an intimacy coordinator. Mikey Madison, 25, who is up for Best Actress at the 97th Academy Awards following her performance in Sean Baker's Anora, filmed nude scenes of a sexual nature in the romantic comedy. She plays the titular main character, nicknamed Ani - a stripper from Brighton Beach, Brooklyn - who meets and spontaneously marries an immature young man named Ivan 'Vanya' Zakharov, the son of a Russian oligarch.

But her fairytale whirlwind romance is at risk when Ivan, played by Mark Eidelshteyn, must reckon with his parents, who want the affair quickly annulled. To authentically portray the life of a sex worker, Mikey was naked in some scenes - but she, somewhat controversially, did not request an intimacy coordinator. ICs have become an increasingly demanded position in Hollywood films, offering a liaison between actors and production teams when shooting sexual scenes, ensuring filming is respectful.

In a new BBC Woman's Hour, Mikey explained her decision, insisting she was 'comfortable' on set. 'I was asked before we started shooting if that was something that I would be interested in,' she revealed. Actress Mikey Madison (pictured) has revealed why she controversially forwent an intimacy coordinator when filming Anora. 'And at the time, I had created a close relationship with Sean and his wife and producing partner Samantha, and I just felt comfortable forgoing one personally.'.

She added: 'I think because I had done so much research, had talked to so many consultants, and had been training for so long to be a dancer. I felt I was in tune with my sexuality in a way that I hadn't been before.'. Mikey also felt aligned with her protagonist while filming, as well. 'I know it's a performance for the character too, she's putting on a specific version of herself and I think as actress I was as well,' she continued.

'Those scenes were fun to shoot and I also think that the way that Sean Baker, our director, was portraying a lot of those scenes, it was quite lighthearted and funny, so it was a really positive experience. 'Sean's priority as a director is comfortability, safety.... he wants everyone to have fun making his films and those sentiments really echoed.'. Scenes from the trailer show Ani pole dancing before she and Ivan head to the bathroom for a steamy shower sex scene.

Madison stars as sex worker in the racy romantic-comedy, which claimed the prestigious Cannes Film Festival Award. The 25-year-old told the BBC Woman's Hour host, Claire McDonnell, that she 'felt in tune' with her sexuality. Host Claire McDonnell asked the actress her opinions on those who choose to work with professionals to navigate sex sequences, including by holding discussions on boundaries and comfort.

Many stars, including Emma Mackey of Sex Education, Emma Stone of Poor Things and Rachel Zegler of West Side Story, have, in recent years, expressed their gratitude for ICs, insisting they're an important cog in the machine of the modern movie-making process, especially in the wake of the #MeToo movement. 'I think it's really important to have protection in place for people who would like that and feel that it's necessary,' Mikey said.

She added: 'If I do a film in the future where there are intimate scenes and I feel like that's the best decision for me and the production team, then I look forward to working with an intimacy coordinator.'. Elsewhere, the actress, who learned Russian for the role, opened up about learning to play a 'scrappy' character who must 'hustle' to get to where she wants to be. 'So I play Annie in the film Anora, and she's a young woman who lives in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn,' she explained.

'She works in the city in a club called Headquarters [as] a dancer and a sex worker and ends up meeting the son of a Russian oligarch at work... and they have a shotgun wedding. 'Things happen where his family is trying to tear them apart and she's working to save her marriage and preserve some of her dignity throughout the film. The film, which is filled with nudity and raunchy sex scenes, follows Ani (Mikey), who spontaneously marries the son of a Russian oligarch, Ivan 'Vanya' Zakharov (pictured left).

One of the most important things for the leading actress when filming was to authentically portray Ani's life as a sex worker. 'She's a true fighter, that's one of the things I recognised from the beginning... her amazing fighting spirit... she's scrappy.'. Mikey said 'research' was 'one of the most important things she did for the film'. 'I needed to immerse myself as much as possible,' she explained. 'We had incredible consultants who were brought onto the film, who have similar lived experience to Ani's, and they offered so much beautiful insight into that kind of work, what their life is like, and the nuances to their job day to day.