Cannes Favorite Anora: A Deep Dive Into Its Talented Cast
The indie film Anora has quickly captured the attention of audiences and critics alike, especially after its strong showing at international film festivals in 2024 and 2025. As buzz continues to build around this unique drama-comedy, viewers are eager to learn more about the
In this blog post, we’ll explore the cast of Anora, highlight the breakout performances, and provide key background on the stars and what to expect next.
What Is Anora About?
Before diving into the cast, let’s quickly recap what Anora is all about. Directed by Sean Baker — known for his raw and realistic storytelling in films like
Meet the Anora Cast
Mikey Madison as Anora
The lead role of Anora is played by Mikey Madison, best known for her work in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Her portrayal of Anora brings depth to a character that could have easily been one-dimensional. Madison’s chemistry with her co-stars also helps ground the film in authentic emotion.
Mark Eidelstein as Ivan
Playing opposite Madison is Mark Eidelstein, a relative newcomer to Hollywood, but one who leaves a lasting impression. Eidelstein plays Ivan, the wealthy and impulsive son of a Russian oligarch who falls head-over-heels for Anora. His portrayal is layered, mixing innocence, recklessness, and genuine affection, all while navigating the chaos of class differences and cultural expectations.
Despite being newer to the scene, Eidelstein's performance holds its own against Madison’s, and the two share a natural, believable chemistry.
Supporting Anora Cast Members Worth Watching
While the leads are undeniably the stars of the show, the supporting cast also brings crucial texture and realism to the world of
Karren Karagulian
A frequent collaborator of director Sean Baker, Karren Karagulian plays a supporting role that adds both humor and heart to the film. Known for his work in
Vache Tovmasyan
Armenian comedian and actor Vache Tovmasyan also appears in
Why the Anora Cast Stands Out
One of the most impressive aspects of the Anora cast is its diversity and authenticity. Director Sean Baker is known for casting actors who can portray raw, relatable characters, and
The performances are not overly polished — and that’s a good thing. Instead, the cast leans into realism, allowing the characters to be flawed, funny, and fully human.
Festival Buzz and Awards Potential
Anora debuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation and major praise for both direction and acting. The Anora cast
With awards season approaching, many are speculating that Mikey Madison could be in line for a Best Actress nomination, and the film as a whole may get nods for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director.
What’s Next for the Anora Cast?
Following the success of Anora, it’s expected that many of the cast members will see their careers skyrocket.
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Mikey Madison is already in talks for major studio projects, with her performance in
Anora solidifying her status as one of the most promising young actresses in Hollywood. -
Mark Eidelstein has reportedly signed with a top-tier talent agency and is being considered for several upcoming streaming and theatrical projects.
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Karren Karagulian continues to build on his reputation as a staple in indie cinema.
Why You Should Keep an Eye on the Anora Cast
The Anora cast is more than just a group of actors — it’s a dynamic team that brought a raw, emotional, and deeply engaging story to life. With powerful performances from Mikey Madison and Mark Eidelstein, and strong support from a culturally rich ensemble,
Whether you’re a fan of award-winning performances, independent cinema, or rising Hollywood stars, the Anora cast
DWTS Fans Shatter Voting Records in Season 34 - But One Star Hits Over 1 Million Views! trucc
Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars debuted in the 2025 TV schedule with a new crop of celebrity dancers as well as both new and returning pro dance partners. Corey Feldman and Baron Davis were the first two celebrities to be eliminated this season by failing to get enough fan votes, but fans are definitely coming through with voting overall. The show (available streaming with a Hulu subscription and Disney+ subscription) has already set new records with votes, and the audience growth from the first week to the second week is better than DWTS had experienced in over a decade.
Still, it turns out that only one performer from Season 34 has broken 1 million views on YouTube at the time of writing, and the runner up isn’t even close to matching him. Bobby Bones may have proved in Season 27 that you don’t have to be the best dancer to win Dancing with the Stars, and my favorite from the live Season 34 premiere has endured so far despite low scores from the judges, with Andy Richter holding on to high hopes to stick around. In theory, it's still anybody's game, but one star seemingly has an advantage so far.
Keep on reading for how well the show is doing so far, as well as the celebrity dancer who seems to have the strongest hold on viewers!
How Dancing With The Stars Is Doing On ABC
Following the second episode of Season 34 on September 23, ABC revealed that DWTS had increased its overall audience since the premiere the week prior for the first time in 14 years. Once again, it was the #1 show on Tuesday night with 5.46 million viewers total and a 1.02 rating in the 18-49 age demographic. NBC’s The Voice came the closest to DWTS, with a total audience 5.43 million and 0.41 rating, followed by NBC's AGT with an audience of 4.36 million and 18-49 rating of 0.30.
For the second week of the season, the ABC dance show also beat the combined averages of the competition on the other broadcast networks in the 8 - 10 p.m. ET time slot. For NBC, that meant The Voice and America’s Got Talent, as well as Murder in a Small Town and Doc on Fox. CBS’ Tuesday night lineup for this fall has not yet premiered.
Perhaps most impressively of all, fan voting increased from the previous week up to 35 million, up by 67% from the 21 million votes after the premiere the week before. The 35 million even beats the 32 million who voted in the Season 33 finale last year, which was won by Bachelor Nation’s Joey Graziadei and pro partner Jenna Johnson.
Basically, Dancing with the Stars is doing quite well with the size (and participation) of the audience so far in Season 34, but viewership on YouTube isn’t too impressive for all the participants.
The YouTube MVP Of Season 34 (So Far)
Of course, viewership on YouTube doesn’t necessarily reflect DWTS winners, but the numbers don’t lie so far in Season 34. In fact, the totals aren’t even close so far, with the closest that anybody has come to matching the streamer’s frontrunner still behind by around 600,000.
Unsurprisingly after he topped the ranking of 14 celebrity dancers following the premiere, Robert Irwin once again had the most-watched dance on YouTube for One-Hit Wonders Night. At the time of writing, Irwin’s One-Hit Wonder tango to Junior Senior's “Move Your Feet” with pro partner Witney Carson has accumulated 1 million views. Jordan Chiles’ jive to Michael Sembello’s “Maniac” is the second most-watched from Week 2, with 403k views.
It was a big jump ahead for the Olympic gymnast, as she came in eighth in YouTube views after the premiere, but a drop for Irwin, who came in first in the premiere with 1.2 million. (That has since increased to 1.6 million.) Still, despite the dip in views, Robert Irwin is easily the most-watched celebrity dancer of Season 34 on YouTube. Take a look at his most recent dance:
The season is only just starting, and two weeks of 1+ million views on YouTube don’t mean that Robert will automatically follow sister Bindi Irwin in becoming a DWTS champ. Keep tuning in to ABC on Tuesdays starting at 8 p.m. ET for the newest episodes of Dancing with the Stars. The next theme night, which airs on September 30, will be TikTok Night.
