Mikey Madison used her father's voicemail for emotional Anora final scene

Mikey Madison used a personal voicemail from her father for the final scene of 'Anora'.

The 25-year-old star has been nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of the title character in the comedy-drama film and needed the inspiration for the flick's powerful closing sequence.

Speaking to Variety's Awards Circuit podcast, Madison said of the final scene: "I would see it on the schedule and just think, 'Okay, it's a couple weeks away, I don't have to deal with it yet'.

"But then suddenly, it was right there."

Discussing the voicemail, she added: "I listened to it before filming.

"I don't think I've ever used something so personal for a scene before. But it felt necessary. That scene, what Annie goes through, needed to feel completely real."

The flick has earned Madison a host of awards nominations - a fact that she finds difficult to believe.

The 'Scream' actress said: "I mean, obviously, it's been something that I've thought about and daydreamed about for so long.

"To ever be in a position like this, my sense of reality is slightly off. Because then I just went home, it was like scrubbing my house and taking care of my dogs. Everything felt the same."

Madison revealed that she never let herself think that an Academy Award nomination was a possibility as she has been scarred by past disappointments.

She said: "I definitely approach things with a protective layer around me.

"I've had so much heartbreak in this industry. There have been so many times where I've gotten my dream role, and then, for whatever reason, the rug's been pulled out from under me.

"I was like, no, it's not happening. I wouldn't allow myself to actually think that it was real."

'Anora' tells the story of a young stripper who falls in love with the son of a Russian oligarch and Madison was surprised when director Sean Baker approached her about the picture.

She recalled: "I had just finished 'Scream', and maybe two days later, I got a phone call from my agent saying Sean wanted to pitch me a movie idea.

"I was a fan of his work, but I'd never had someone of his calibre just... reach out to me."

Madison added that her first meeting with the filmmaker was an unconventional one.

She said: "I remember thinking, 'Is this an audition? Am I just going to have to read?'

"But he just sat me down and said, 'Hey, this is a loose idea I have for a movie. I want you to be in it'. And I was like, 'Yes... but wait, that's not how this works'."

The 'Better Things' star confessed that it was difficult to adjust to the intensity of her character.

Madison explained: "I move through the world at a slower pace. I take my time. Anne is the opposite – she lives at the fastest pace possible, constantly going, constantly hustling. It was exhausting.

"I didn't even realise how tired I was until I stopped. There was a week when I was lying in bed. Why do I feel like I have the flu? And it hit me – I had just been running on adrenaline for months."