Magic Mikey

She gave up competitive horseback riding to pursue acting. Now, the rising star is getting awards buzz for her role as a determined stripper in Anora

- Ruth Madievsky

MIKEY MADISON PEERS into her iPhone, where she’s browsing miniature horses available for adoption. She’s partial to Silver, a gelding in his mid-teens with a Targaryen-blond mane. Before becoming an actor a decade ago, Madison was a competitive horseback rider. The 25-year-old comes from a long line of equestrians with extended family that includes cowboys and a Marlboro Man. “I’ve always been more of a lone wolf,” she muses. “I think that had something to do with wanting to become an actor, to have that deep connection with other people.”