Oscar Favorite ‘Anora’ Earns Praise from Sex Workers for Authentic Portrayal
For a film about sex work to win an Oscar is rare. For it to earn the respect of sex workers themselves is even rarer.
If Sean Baker’s “Anora” triumphs at the Academy Awards on March 2, as many predict, it will achieve both.
“Sean gets sex work. He just does,” says Casey Calvert, a porn actress and director, while preparing to shoot a lesbian scene in San Fernando Valley.
“Sean is the only working mainstream filmmaker who has the ability to get it right. He’s also the only one who cares about getting it right,” adds adult film veteran Eli Cross, serving as cinematographer for the day.
A Career Rooted in Authentic Storytelling
Baker’s journey to the Oscars began in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, often dubbed the capital of the U.S. porn industry.
His 2012 film “Starlet” explored the life of a young adult film actress, earning him credibility among sex workers for his candid portrayal of their industry.
Since then, Baker has cultivated friendships with adult performers like Calvert, who later worked as a paid consultant on his film Red Rocket.
Now, she and many others from the industry are cheering on Anora, which is nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Mikey Madison), and more.
“It’s so exciting that I can’t even think about it,” says Calvert. “It would feel like this industry that I love being recognized on a stage it’s never been recognized before on.”
Breaking Stereotypes in Hollywood
Anora follows Ani, a New York stripper and escort who falls into a whirlwind romance with a bratty Russian client—only to discover he is the son of an oligarch.
Typical of Baker’s style, the film is filled with small but accurate details that “civilian” audiences might overlook—like pole-dancing bruises on Ani’s legs or the way she licks her fingers before initiating a sex act.
“It’s just such a sex worker thing to do. It’s so in character,” explains Calvert.
Hollywood has historically misrepresented or romanticized sex work, with films like Pretty Woman presenting sanitized, fairy-tale versions of the profession.
“The sex work industry as a whole is really skeptical of any film about sex work,” Calvert notes. “Hollywood has made a lot of movies about prostitution and escorting that are not particularly positive.”
A Film That Goes Beyond Sex Work
Baker himself has said he avoided the “hooker with a heart of gold” clichés, focusing instead on real human struggles.
For Calvert, his films are compelling because they aren’t about sex work itself—they’re about people who happen to be sex workers.
“It’s not about the taboo of sex. It’s just about a marginalized community of people he finds really interesting,” she says.
Hollywood’s Changing Attitude Toward Sex Work
Anora has already won multiple accolades, including the Palme d’Or at Cannes and major industry prizes from Hollywood’s directors, producers, and writers’ guilds.
Baker has consistently dedicated his success to sex workers, and Mikey Madison even pledged to be “an ally” in her BAFTA acceptance speech.
This marks a shift in Hollywood’s stance—a decade ago, industry giants like Meryl Streep actively opposed the decriminalization of sex work.
The debate remains ongoing, with opponents warning about human trafficking while proponents argue that regulation could protect workers and uphold their rights.
Still, seeing a film about consensual adult sex work receive mainstream recognition is groundbreaking, says pornographer Siouxsie Q.
“We’ve come a long way, baby—we really have,” she says.
Stigma Still Lingers
Despite Anora’s success, stigma against porn remains strong, preventing even experienced adult filmmakers from crossing into Hollywood.
On the day AFP visited Calvert’s film set, neighbors chased away reporters with cameras, wary of what was happening inside.
Baker stands out as one of the few mainstream directors who casts real porn actors and genuinely respects the adult film community.
For Calvert, this is why Anora’s critical success is so important.
“His work helps a ton to break down those barriers,” she says.
