The 2025 Oscars have reignited a fiery debate that’s been simmering beneath Tinseltown’s glitzy surface: Why does Hollywood keep crowning actresses who play sex workers?
This year, Mikey Madison snagged the Best Actress gong for her raw portrayal of a young sex worker in Anora, hot on the heels of Emma Stone’s 2024 win for her risqué role in Poor Things. Two years, two sex worker stories, two golden statues—coincidence or a troubling trend?
Hollywood’s Obsession with Sex Workers
Social media erupted after the latest win, with X user @srk_aravind sparking a viral storm: “First Emma Stone in 2024, now Mikey Madison in 2025—both Best Actress winners for playing sex workers. Hollywood’s playbook or a deeper message?”
The post racked up thousands of likes and retweets, with fans and critics clashing in the comments. Some hailed the roles as bold feminist statements, while others slammed them as proof of an industry addicted to objectifying women.
In Anora, Madison plays a scrappy sex worker who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, only to face the fallout of her fairytale gone wrong. Flash back to Poor Things, where Stone’s character—a woman reborn with a fetal brain—explores her sexuality through a stint in a brothel, blending dark comedy with jaw-dropping fantasy.
Both films dazzled critics, but the parallels have tongues wagging: Is Hollywood celebrating complex female stories, or just recycling the same old trope?
The numbers don’t lie. From Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman to Satine in Moulin Rouge!, sex worker roles have long been Oscar bait—seven actresses have won or been nominated for such parts since 1990 alone.
Yet, behind the red-carpet glamour, a darker story looms. Industry insiders point to decades of exploitation, with recent web reports revisiting the #MeToo movement’s exposé of sexual assault and power imbalances in Hollywood. Are these roles a subversive reclaiming of power, or a symptom of a system that still sees women through a narrow, salacious lens?
Fans on X are split. “These stories humanize women society ignores—give me more!” one user cheered. Another fired back: “It’s lazy. Hollywood pats itself on the back while profiting off women’s bodies. Next!” Even the stars have weighed in. Madison, in a post-Oscar interview, called her role “a love letter to resilience,” while Stone previously dubbed Poor Things “a liberation tale.” But not everyone’s buying it.
As the debate rages, one thing’s clear: Hollywood’s love affair with sex worker narratives isn’t fading anytime soon. Is it art imitating life, or a mirror to an industry that can’t quit its old habits? Click below to join the conversation—and tell us where you stand!
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