Mikey Madison Reveals the Film Performance That Left Her Speechless

After winning an Oscar for her role in Anora last year, Mikey Madison has taken a noticeable step back from the public eye. She’s been careful not to let the whirlwind of fame and achievement consume her. With a part in The Social Reckoning—the much-anticipated follow-up to David Fincher’s The Social Network—set for release later this year, Madison is choosing to conserve her energy for now. “I feel like everything around me has changed, and I think that’s increasing my need to withdraw into myself,” she shared with Vogue Italia last summer.

So, what does an acclaimed actress do when she’s not busy with film shoots and press events? For Madison, a self-proclaimed movie buff, it ’s all about diving into the world of cinema. She’s spent years studying the craft by watching legendary performances, drawing inspiration from actors like Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces and the entire cast of Paris, Texas. But there’s one performance that stands out above the rest for her.

Isabelle Huppert’s Unforgettable Role

In a Criterion Closet video, Madison didn’t hesitate to name Isabelle Huppert’s portrayal in Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher as “one of the most incredible performances by an actress in the history of cinema.” Huppert’s character, Erika, is a solitary, middle-aged piano instructor living under the suffocating control of her mother. Behind closed doors, Erika seeks release through self-destructive and masochistic behaviors—mutilating herself, spying on strangers, and even sniffing used tissues in adult stores.

Erika is a deeply tragic figure, desperate for intimacy but unable to form healthy connections. She begins a relationship with a younger student, dictating the terms of their encounters in ways that quickly spiral into something far darker. The Piano Teacher is not for the faint of heart; it’s a film that’s both deeply unsettling and profoundly moving, a true standout of 21st-century filmmaking.

The Power of Vulnerability and Intensity

Huppert’s performance is nothing short of electrifying. She brings a wild, almost feral energy to Erika, a woman who is tightly wound yet completely unrestrained in her private moments. Despite Erika’s disturbing actions—like slipping glass into her student’s pocket or attempting to seduce her own mother—Huppert makes her heartbreakingly human. The final scene, where Erika stabs herself and calmly exits a concert hall, leaves a haunting impression. The disgust and pain on her face, paired with her composed demeanor, is simply mesmerizing.

Madison was especially struck by this moment.

“She is so intense and vulnerable, and [in] this scene where she stabs herself in the shoulder, there’s a sound that comes out of her throat, it’s so guttural, I remember watching this, and I was like, ‘I have to go back and see this one more time,’ because I kind of can’t believe that I just saw this performance. You imagine with another actress, what would they have brought to the character? But you can only picture Isabelle Huppert in this role.”