Iconic starlet Sheryl Lee Ralph gave a racy response on what "the fastest way to an Oscar" was following 25-year-old Mikey Madison's Best Actress Oscar win for her starring role in Anora at the 67th Academy Awards earlier this month.
Anora swept the Oscars with five golden statuettes, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Madison), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
In the surprise hit black comedy-drama, Madison stars as the titular stripper character, Anora, who elopes with the son of a Russian oligarch to the harsh objection of his parents, who then send their henchmen after the young couple in an attempt to annul the union.
The Best Actress win for Madison was particularly impressive after beating out other remarkable women in her category, including Cynthia Erivo for Wicked, and presumed Oscar frontrunner Demi Moore–who won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild award for her work in The Substance.
In her acceptance speech, Madison thanked the sex worker community for inspiring the development of her character, an acknowledgment that was lauded for bringing visibility to the stigmatized community.
"I also just want to again recognize and honor the sex worker community," she said, adding:
"I will continue to support and be an ally. All of the incredible people, the women that I’ve had the privilege of meeting from that community has been one of the highlights of this entire incredible experience."
On her way to the Vanity Fair Oscars after party, Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph stopped to chat with entertainment reporter Joelle Garguilo about what it takes for women to achieve the highest Hollywood honor.
The 68-year-old Tony-nominated icon who played Deena Jones in Broadway's Dreamgirls in 1981 commented:
"I have told people over and over and over again—the fastest way to an Oscar is either on a pole or have...I'm telling you, sex sells, baby. Sex sells."
Here's a video.
Her response went viral, and people were polarized by it online.
Some people disagreed.
However, many others thought Ralph was onto something.
There's something to Ralph's blunt take about how "sex sells."
The Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress Oscars have historically gone to actors specifically playing sex workers 16 times in the ceremony's 97-year history.
Examples of past recipients included Best Actress wins for Janet Gaynor in Street Angel (1928), Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield 8 (1960), and Emma Stone in Poor Things (2023); and Best Supporting Actress wins for Kim Basinger in LA Confidential (1997), and Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables (2012).
And that's not even counting a long list of nominated performances under the same scenario.
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