Mikey Madison Reveals the Film Performance That Left Her Stunned

After taking home an Oscar for her role in Anora last year, Mikey Madison has been keeping a lower profile, steering clear of the constant buzz that comes with sudden fame. With a part in The Social Reckoning—the much-anticipated follow-up to The Social Network—on the cards for later this year, Madison is clearly pacing herself. She told Vogue Italia last summer,

“I feel like everything around me has changed, and I think that’s increasing my need to withdraw into myself.”

It’s not hard to picture her spending this quieter stretch catching up on films, given her reputation as a keen cinephile who’s always learning from the greats.

Madison’s approach to acting has been shaped by a range of standout performances, from Jack Nicholson’s work in Five Easy Pieces to the entire cast of Paris, Texas. But there’s one role she reckons is in a league of its own. In a recent Criterion Closet video, she didn’t hesitate to name a particular performance as

“one of the most incredible performances by an actress in the history of cinema.”

Isabelle Huppert’s Unforgettable Role

The performance in question? Isabelle Huppert’s turn in Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher. Huppert plays Erika, a solitary, middle-aged piano instructor living under the thumb of her overbearing mother. Behind closed doors, Erika seeks release through self-destructive and masochistic behaviour—mutilating herself, spying on strangers, and even sniffing used tissues in an adult shop. She’s a tragic figure, desperate for connection but unable to form a typical relationship. When she begins an affair with a younger student, she insists on strict rules for their encounters, but things quickly spiral into something far darker.

The Piano Teacher isn’t exactly a light watch. It’s confronting, bleak, and at times deeply uncomfortable. Yet, it’s also one of the most powerful films of the 21st century. Huppert’s portrayal is nothing short of astonishing, bringing a wild, unpredictable energy to a character who’s both tightly wound and deeply troubled. Despite Erika’s shocking actions—like slipping glass into her student’s pocket or attempting intimacy with her own mother—Huppert makes her oddly sympathetic.

The Scene That Left Madison Speechless

It’s the film’s final moments that really stick with you. Erika, after stabbing herself, calmly leaves a concert hall, her face a mask of pain and resignation. The image lingers: a woman with nowhere left to go, her expression a mix of disgust and composure. Madison was especially struck by this scene, saying,

“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.”

For Madison, Huppert’s work in The Piano Teacher stands as a benchmark for what’s possible in acting—intense, raw, and unforgettable. It’s a performance that’s hard to shake, and one she believes will be remembered for generations.