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Writer/director Sean Baker does his own casting so he was reviewing many contenders for the role of Ivan, son of a Russian oligarch in Anora. Mark Eydelshteyn impressed Baker by sending him a self-tape where he performed all of his lines in the nude.
“It’s very risky in Hollywood to send nude self-tapes,” Eydelshteyn said. “But, it’s Ivan.”
Eydelshteyn said he was already struggling with the English language dialogue of the audition. Furthermore, Ivan is a wealthy character with fancy clothes. The actor had to think creatively to convey this with his own limited resources.
“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,” he said.
Baker did not make Mikey Madison audition for the lead role of Ani, a stripper and sex worker who falls in love with Ivan. Baker saw her in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Scream and offered her the role.
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“I didn’t even have to do a naked self tape to get the job,” Madison said. “He just gave it to me and I’m so grateful.”
Madison said Ani was overwhelmingly different from herself, so she approached her in small steps of preparation. Baker said Madison was being too modest.
“Months of pole dancing lessons, working with a dialect coach, working very closely with our sex worker consultants to really understand the character of Ani,” Baker said. “I’ve never worked with an actor so dedicated in the prep for a role.”
The nudity did not end at the audition stage. Eydelshteyn said he continued to suggest improvisations on the set.
“When you’re asking Sean, ‘Maybe don’t you mind if I try to do a flip when I’m nude? What do you think about it?’” Eydelshteyn said. “Any other director will say, You’re crazy Mark. Go back to your country.’ Sean, no, Sean is, ‘What? Of course, let’s do it.”
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Ivan takes a dark turn approximately 45 minutes into Anora, Baker said. The whimsy earlier in the film was vital to setting up that turn.
“We wanted the character of Ivan to betray the audience just like he’s betraying Ani,” Baker said. “That was only possible through Mark essentially giving this incredibly charming performance for the first 45 minutes of the film so we don’t see that coming.”
Eydelshteyn asks fans to remember he’s only acting when Ivan is mistreating Ani.
“I’m shocked because people are writing me on Instagram, ‘You are asshole,’” he said. “Not question. ‘You are douchebag. What you did with our lovely Anora.’”
Madison assured viewers there were no hard feelings between them.
“A majority of the scenes between Ani and Ivan are so much fun,” she said. “You get to see Ani having an amazing time and falling for this guy. So I always recognize that those scenes were a treat for me because I got to laugh and enjoy and be in the moment. I think the difficult scenes are the ones where her heart’s being broken or she’s fighting for something she knows isn’t going to go her way.”
Anora is now in theaters from Neon.
Check back Monday for the panel video.
The presenting sponsor for this year’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles is United for Business. Sponsors are Eyeptizer Eyewear, Final Draft + ScreenCraft, and partners are Four Seasons Maui, 11 Ravens and Robina Benson Design House.
