Sheryl Lee Ralph at an Oscars after-party (left) and Mikey Madison in Anora (right)Screen and stage legend Sheryl Lee Ralph has inadvertently sparked a debate on social media after sharing her commentary about this year’s Oscars.
Following Sunday night’s ceremony, the Abbott Elementary star spoke to ABC’s On The Red Carpet, about the 2025 Academy Awards, where Anora was the runaway success of the night, including wins for its lead actor Mikey Madison and director Sean Baker.
The Emmy winner – who memorably portrayed Madame Morrible in the Broadway show Wicked – said she was “disappointed” the movie musical “didn’t get more”, but was “absolutely excited” that its costume designer Paul Tazewell was recognised on the night.
Sheryl then added: “I have told people over and over again. The fastest way to an Oscar is either on a pole or… I’m telling you, sex sells, baby. Sex sells.”
“I have told people over and over and over again: The fastest way to an Oscar is either on a pole or….I’m telling you, sex sells baby.” - Sheryl Lee Ralph pic.twitter.com/cL6SfD1aEt
— viva verdi! (@verderebb) March 3, 2025
After a clip of Sheryl’s interview was posted on X, it has accrued more than 22 million views, and led to a lot of discussion.
Many have pointed out that as well as Mikey Madison’s win for Anora, in which she plays a stripper and sex worker, several other famous women have won Oscars after portraying characters who work in the sex industry, with The Hollywood Reporter roundup up as many as 14 in the awards show’s 97-year history.
This has led some to question whether this points to a wider issue within the film industry.
she's literally not lying. the film industry is historically chauvinistic and ageist, and it places a woman's value in her ability to provide sexual fantasies to men. time and time again we have seen actresses be rewarded for playing into that fantasy, while actors don't have to. https://t.co/sgkN59y95V
— the walking dread (@laylabyclapton) March 5, 2025
y’all booing her but answer me why sex worker is such a popular role to win for in the most competitive acting category at the oscars? https://t.co/l6SNWfuE9K
— ruby³³ (@eunhathelead) March 5, 2025
She's right - 14 actors have WON awards playing a sex worker - https://t.co/O0bXzcPFiC - not sex shaming just a role the academy likes
— SloppyJoey (@SloppyJoe_y) March 5, 2025
when older women are honest about their experience in an industry and say something that goes against the ultra lib sex positive agenda, people resort to calling her bitter or conservative, same way young people are called ‘puriteens.’ just another way to shut down conversation https://t.co/mt9Nhf3fmu
— A. (@anamorphisis) March 5, 2025
Even Anne Hathaway made a joke back in the 2010 Oscars: "you get naked, you get nominated".
— Juan Carlos Ojano ???? (@juancarlosojano) March 5, 2025
Get behind me, Sheryl Lee Ralph. https://t.co/kjlydE4dRj
I came to this conclusion after watching Monsters Ball. They finally saw Halle’s ass and was like YESSSS here’s your Oscar ????
— Quay (@qualayy_) March 5, 2025
I don’t like how y’all crusty dusty ass mfs are being disrespectful in the quotes towards THEE Sheryl Lee Ralph for saying nothing but the damn truth. Sex sells that’s how the fucking industry works. https://t.co/iGG3GoovfOpic.twitter.com/iQEiNfzAsf
— keke wants it ExtraL ???? (@LOKISPACEGEMS) March 5, 2025
However, some have similarly claimed that the volume of female actors winning industry acclaim for their portrayal of sex workers is being over-exaggerated.
Of The Hollywood Reporter’s list, for example, only two Best Actress winners in the last 20 years have been for playing sex worker characters.
As well as Mikey’s win, the other is Emma Stone’s in Poor Things, which made up only a small part of her character’s story arc.
I don't know, it's usually a "transformation" or making yourself less attractive or playing a historical figure that tends to win Oscars
— Ali M Latifi ???????? (@alibomaye) March 5, 2025
well actually, in the last 15 years only two confirmed sex worker roles have won their actresses oscars so not sure how far your research has gone???? https://t.co/cuRq94ToFu
— gojo's (@versaatchi_) March 5, 2025
"sex sells"
— Spencer Hayes (@spencedetroit) March 5, 2025
"get on the pole"
"the Oscars loves strippers and sex workers!!!!"
2021: PG-13
2019: PG-13
2016: PG-13
2013: PG-13
2011: PG-13
2009: PG-13
2007: PG-13 pic.twitter.com/VfKBJNkDcE
couldn’t help myself and had to check what stats they were referring to and… they list if an oscar winning actress has ever played a sex worker before or after their win, which says something but not THIS
— ????️hải linh (@aynillyn) March 5, 2025
if you’re curious too: https://t.co/aRRKg2lCbihttps://t.co/sSE9o6Wrw7
That Oscar hookers site also considers Lupita Nyong'o playing a woman kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery during the Liberian civil war a portrayal of sex work, so that’s who we're dealing with here
— Meg (@corporatecake) March 4, 2025
the difference between the sentences “every woman who won an oscar played a sex worker at some point in their career” and “every woman who won an oscar got it for playing a sex worker” is kicking a lot of asses this week
— ashley ray????stream ice cream money (@theashleyray) March 6, 2025
not that i think either point matters, just the perfect kind of nonsense that makes twitter discourse even dumber
— ashley ray????stream ice cream money (@theashleyray) March 6, 2025
and also neither sentence is true
— ashley ray????stream ice cream money (@theashleyray) March 6, 2025
3 oscars for best actress have been given out for sex worker roles in the past 50 years. https://t.co/1x6jy6V5Hb
— punished jeff (@comradeskreeonk) March 5, 2025
Yes I'll never forget Katharine Hepburn playing four different prostitutes. https://t.co/xNsKZfnxPV
— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) March 5, 2025
Paloma Diamond needs to see this
— Kevin Manalo (@kevinmanalo_) March 5, 2025
Meanwhile, others are asking whether the debate itself perpetuates shameful stigma around sex work and sexual empowerment, particularly as it relates to women...
I find all the pearl clutching about “sex worker roles” winning Oscars hilarious. You people have become your parents.
— weird fish (@Sick_Sage) March 5, 2025
I don’t recall Michelle Yeoh twerking in everything everywhere all at once, she lowkey a slut shaming auntie for this ???????????????????? https://t.co/gaXeMeWIvF
— Dylan Ali (@dylanali_) March 5, 2025
however many days after the oscars and now people using Sheryl Lee Ralph clip saying if you get on a pole or have sex in a movie thats how you get an oscar, its truly unfortunate that people run with narratives before giving the movie a chance and examining it as a whole.
— Flow (@_flowpro) March 5, 2025
Imagine being this ignorant and misogynistic.
— Ali Benzekri (@Alibenzkr) March 4, 2025
Mikey Madison won because she was the best out of the 5 nominees and this should be celebrated as it rarely occurs in this specific category. https://t.co/v5wC7ppXlJ
And, of course, Sheryl Lee Ralph’s fans have been defending her, too...
sheryl lee ralph has been in that industry longer than most of the nominees this year have even been alive and y’all wanna try and shame her for this…she is telling her lived truth. y’all need to shut the hell up ???? https://t.co/GHozPEHGqJ
— ꕤ halo ꕤ (@chunghanji) March 5, 2025
I don’t like how y’all crusty dusty ass mfs are being disrespectful in the quotes towards THEE Sheryl Lee Ralph for saying nothing but the damn truth. Sex sells that’s how the fucking industry works. https://t.co/iGG3GoovfOpic.twitter.com/iQEiNfzAsf
— keke wants it ExtraL ???? (@LOKISPACEGEMS) March 5, 2025
Nasty stans of that dumb ass movie trying to whack Sheryl Lee Ralph of all people not on my watch https://t.co/0rHobagJ6o
— … (@NIKITAmonica_) March 4, 2025
Anora picked up five awards at Sunday night’s Oscars, more than any other film.
Other acting awards went to Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain, Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez and Adrien Brody for The Brutalist.
Click here for the full list of winners.
