Anora cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the Oscar-winning film?

Sean Baker's Anora snatched the Best Picture title from Brady Corbet's The Brutalist, which was believed to be the best candidate on the Oscars stage. Not just that, it swiped more of the awards than any other film nominated alongside it while also making a place in the top ten films of 2024.

It centers on the titular Anora, who is also addressed as Ani every now and then in the film, who marries the son of a Russian oligarch following their encounter, where the latter offers her to become his girlfriend for a week. Things escalate when the boy's parents learn of the marriage and are now adamant to break it.

Mikey Madison is the film's lead, who won the Best Actress award at the Oscars, with Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, and more appearing alongside her. We will see a bit of detail about the characters in the film.

Anora cast and character breakdown

Mikey Madison as Anora

Mikey takes center stage here as she gets involved with a son of a Russian oligarch. While she is going about her daily life in the strip club she works in, she meets this young boy dubbed Vanya, who is going to be her future husband in it. Although it isn't a long-term affair, as it ends eventually.

Her portrayal of Anora is a breakthrough role for Mikey Madison, but she got major recognition with Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019. She was a part of The Addams Family voice cast the same year.

Mark Eydelshteyn as Vanya

The Russian actor is the spineless Vanya in the film, who lives a lavish lifestyle while studying abroad. He offers Mikey's character to become her girlfriend for a certain time in exchange for a sum, for which she agrees. This later turns into a full-fledged affair, at least it seems like initially.

Mark Eydelshteyn has been active since 2021, where he has appeared in a number of films, including One Hundred Years Ahead (2024), Pravednik (2023), The Land of Sasha (2022), and more.

Yura Borisov as Igor

Yura Borisov shares a striking resemblance with James McAvoy, but he is Russian. He is the only character in the film who acts as an antagonist, but at the same time he is the only one who understands Anora. That's because he understands how the world looks down on people like them.

It was the first time he was nominated for an Academy Award; however, it went to Kieran Culkin, who got carried away with happiness on the stage. Though Baker's film served as Yura's international breakthrough, he is already an established actor in his home country.

Rest of the Anora cast

While these three are pivotal to the film, there are many who appear throughout the story. From Vanya's parents to his godfather, the story gives us some interesting characters as it moves. So here are other stars who make an appearance there.