Director Sean Baker Shares the Serendipitous Connection to Take That in Anora

An unexpected musical choice opens Sean Baker’s screwball sex worker comedy “Anora” and sets the tone for the entire film. The movie, which won the Palme d’Or earlier this year and is anticipated to be a contender in the awards circuit, begins with a five-minute scene set in a New York strip club.

Here, Mikey Madison’s character, Ani, interacts with guests, charming them as she guides them to the VIP area for private dances alongside her fellow dancers. The soundtrack for this scene features “Greatest Day,” an uplifting pop anthem by the U.K. boy band Take That, released in 2008 after the group reformed without Robbie Williams.

Following the world premiere of “Anora” at Cannes, numerous film critics and writers, particularly from the U.K., expressed their surprise and joy over the song selection on social media.

Baker shared that while driving with his wife Sam Quan, who also produces his films, they wondered if there was a song titled “Greatest Day,” as it perfectly encapsulated Ani’s experience. Sam quickly searched Spotify and found the song.

Although Baker was familiar with Take That from their earlier hits like “Back for Good,” he had missed their later work, including “Greatest Day,” much like many outside the U.K.

“I had never heard of this song,” he said, recalling how it became an earworm after they played it in the car. “Once I got home, I decided to overlay it onto ‘Anora’s’ opening credits, and it felt like serendipity. The way it syncs with Mikey’s entrance, right when the beat drops, was incredible!”

This isn’t the first time Baker has incorporated a boy band song into his films; he previously used N*Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye” in the opening credits of “Red Rocket,” which follows a washed-up porn star returning to his Texas hometown.

However, for that song, Baker needed approval from the band regarding its usage, even though the context was less explicit than in “Anora.” Meanwhile, for “Greatest Day,” he mentioned they simply “bought the rights” without providing any additional details. “I actually don’t think Take That has seen the film yet,” he added with excitement. “I can’t wait for their reaction!”