Mikey Madison recognized her manager Anne Woodward, a Redwood alumni from class of 1990, during her 2025 Oscar speech. She recognized Woodward for helping her build a successful career. 

Woodward’s job has become even more intriguing due to the attention and new opportunities Mikey Madison has gotten after winning the Best Actress Oscar for the film Anora. Woodward was very proud of Madison and thought she had earned it through her hard work.

“She deserved it. Her performance was amazing, and she gave it her all,” said Woodward.

Woodward is a manager of various actors, including Madison. She is a testament to the hard work it takes to succeed in the Hollywood industry.

Woodward first saw Madison on the television series Better Things and knew that she had talent. Woodward contacted Madison, and from there, became her manager. Woodward has been guiding and supporting Madison with her career, and together, they demonstrate how talent and hard work can lead to success. 

Woodward particularly enjoys guiding young actors because she finds it easy to connect with them.

“You learn what you’re good at, and I’ve developed a skill set for nurturing and developing young talent,” Woodward said.

Decades and countless accomplishments later, Woodward has established herself as a powerhouse in the business as her job elevated when she became the manager of an Oscar winning actor. 

“My job is to strategize over the bigger picture of a career, so it gives you a lot more to play with when you work with someone who has achieved this level,” said Woodward.

As a young girl, she flipped through her mother’s People Magazine, not in awe of the celebrities on the cover, but curious about the people behind those famous faces. 

“I didn’t care about the celebrity, but I remember thinking to myself, there’s a business behind this,” Woodward said.

Woodward described herself as being a regular high school student who enjoyed her classes and the social aspects of life in Marin. 

Karen Woodward, identical twin to Anne Woodward, spoke about the inspirational figure her twin was when growing up.

“She was a badass. She was cool. She was tough. She didn’t care what people thought,” Karen Woodward said. 

After graduating from Redwood, Anne Woodward attended the University of Arizona, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Media Arts. There, she took classes that sparked her passion and read The Hollywood Reporter to learn about the various studios and players.

Upon graduation, Woodward moved to Hollywood and began to pursue a career. Knowing nobody, she took the first job that presented itself to her. Woodward started in casting, where she met actors, agents and talent managers. She spent her days reading scripts and asking questions about the business to anyone who would listen.

One day, a mentor told Woodward that she was leaving to go to one of the largest talent management companies and asked if she would join as her assistant.

Happily accepting the offer, Woodward landed her first management position. While she was one of the few people in her agency with a degree in the field, she was met with challenges and skepticism due to her age.

 “I was a very young manager in my twenties, so it was hard to get people to take me seriously,” Woodward said. 

Over time, she gained more insights and experiences, and by her forties, she found it easier to establish respect.

 “Something that people don’t always realize is that movies are a business,” Woodward said. “Hollywood isn’t how it’s portrayed in movies. The glamour, the fame, the money and the power make for good television. But it’s a business, and the glamour is the first thing to go.”

Woodward said she’s passionate about her work which varies each week, often including a film screening, photo shoot, client lunches or pitching directors.

“Every day is different. That’s why I like doing what I do,” Woodward said. 

Woodward emphasizes the importance of taking risks when building a successful career. “Don’t be afraid to do something that seems so far away. I didn’t have any connections. I didn’t know anybody. Dream big!” Woodward said.