The truth behind Mikey Madison's ethnicity: Jewish roots and why some think she is Asian
Mikey Madison’s ethnicity has drawn great interest in the movie industry since her Oscar win. This follows her acclaimed role as Ani in the award-winning movie Anora, in which she conversed fluently in Russian.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mikey Madison is of Jewish descent, but she also has some Russian in her ancestry.
- She is American by birth, born in Los Angeles, California.
- Her parents were psychologists who allowed her to be homeschooled so she could pursue other passions.
Profile summary
| Full name | Mikaela Madison Rosberg |
| Nickname | Mikey |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | March 25 1999 |
| Age | 26 years old (as of 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Place of birth | Los Angeles, California, United States of America |
| Current residence | United States of America |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Weight | 110 lbs (50 kg) |
| Body measurements | 32-24-33 inches |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Parents | Tracy and Michael Rosberg |
| Siblings | Four |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Marital status | Single |
| Education | Homeschooled |
| Profession | Actress |
| Net worth | $1 million |
Mikey Madison is white and Jewish
Born Mikaela Madison Rosberg, the American actress said she is Jewish. The confusion about her ancestry arose from her fluency in Russian. According to Madison, she was doing a screen test in Los Angeles on a rainy day and had to straighten her hair.
The director was surprised at how her hair reacted to water and asked what was happening. As shared on Allure, Madison said:
I was like, ‘I’m Jewish.’ Like, I don’t know what you mean?
Source: Original
Mikey Madison has a mixed racial background
The actress has a blend of Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, and Jewish roots. She is primarily of Jewish Ashkenazi heritage. She became fluent in Russian as she immersed herself in Russian culture to play in the Anora movie.
Actress Mikey revealed on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that she proudly told everyone growing up that she was a non-practising Jew. She mentioned that she neither attended a Hebrew school nor became a bat mitzvah, but wished she had. She identifies as a spiritual person.
Mikey Madison's nationality is American
According to her IMDb profile, the actress was born in Los Angeles, California, United States, on March 25 1999. She grew up with four siblings, including a twin brother, two older sisters, and a younger brother.
Source: Getty Images
Madison’s parents were psychologists
Tracy and Michael Rosberg are Mikaela’s parents. They are both psychologists, but they had an immense impact on their daughter’s choice of artistic career. Speaking to People about it, Mikey said:
My parents being psychologists, I’ve grown up really understanding people and why they do things and why they don’t do things.
The actress acknowledged her mother’s impact on her career during an acceptance speech at the BAFTA awards. As People published, she said:
I want to thank my mom, she’s not here, but she has driven me to literally hundreds of auditions, helped me put so many on tape, always helps me memorise my lines, and she’s my favourite scene partner. I love you, Mommy.
She was homeschooled
Mikey’s parents moved from her birthplace in Santa Clarita to the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. She was homeschooled after seventh grade so she could spend more time at the barn. In an interview with The Cut in 2025, she said:
I literally homeschooled myself so I could be at the barn all day with my pony. I loved the ritual of getting to the barn and taking care of my horse, but it’s kind of an isolating sport.
Source: Getty Images
She switched career interests at 14
Madison initially gravitated towards competitive horseback riding before turning to acting. Her grandmother's cousin, Clarence Hailey Long Jr., was a Texas cowboy. He appeared on the cover of the August 1949 issue of Life magazine. In a 2024 interview with Esquire, Madison said:
My grandmother was a horseback rider, and my mom was a horseback rider, and so, naturally, I was riding horses before I could walk—or at least sitting on a horse... I felt that if I started acting, then I’d have to commit myself 100 percent to it, and I couldn’t do that if I was still committed to horseback riding, which is very time-consuming.
Her accent is reportedly a Brighton Beach accent
The actress reportedly adopted a Brooklyn accent for her role as Anora in Anora. She worked with a dialect coach, who walked her through the process. As Vanity Fair published, she also devoted herself to several dance-training sessions that often left her bruised.
Mikey Madison is under six feet tall
According to Celebrity Inside, the actress is reportedly five feet three and a half inches tall. Mikaela weighs about 110 pounds.
Source: Getty Images
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mikey Madison Asian? The Oscar winner is not Asian.
- Does Mikey Madison have Japanese blood? The actress only has Polish, Lithuanian, Russian, and Jewish heritage.
- What is Mikey Madison's eye colour? She has brown eyes.
- Is Mikey Madison a twin? She is one of a pair of twins and has a twin brother named Miles, whom she calls her best friend.
Conclusion
The controversies around Mikey Madison’s ethnicity were settled after she confirmed her Jewish heritage. The actress was a non-practising Jew while growing up, but has never been sorry about her ancestry.
READ MORE: What is Justin Baldoni's ethnicity? Exploring his Italian-Jewish roots
As Briefly.co.za published, Justin Baldoni's ethnicity is mixed. His mom is Jewish, while his dad has an Italian Catholic background. The director's parents later converted to the Baháʼí Faith.
Justin's maternal grandparents, Daniel Solomon and Blanche Katz, are Ashkenazi Jews from Cleveland, Ohio. They have roots in Eastern and Central Europe.
Source: Briefly News
