Sydney Sweeney transforms into boxer Christy Martin in biopic: See the photo
The "Euphoria" star, 27, looks unrecognizable as boxer Christy Martin in a new photo that she shared on Instagram from the upcoming biopic "Christy." The photo was released as the movie set its world premiere for September's Toronto International Film Festival.
"Christy" is described as the "unbelievable true story" of Martin, "who rose to fame as America's most successful female boxer in the 1990s." The first woman signed to a promotional contract by Don King, she competed from 1989 to the mid-2010s.
In 2010, Martin survived an attempted murder by her then-husband, who was later found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Sweeney previously told W Magazine that she gained more than 30 pounds for the role.
"I came onboard to play Christy, and I had about three and a half months of training," she told the outlet. "I started eating. I weight-trained in the morning for an hour, kickboxed midday for about two hours, and then weight-trained again at night for an hour."
The "Anyone But You" actress continued, "My body was completely different. I didn't fit in any of my clothes. I'm usually a size 23 in jeans, and I was wearing a size 27. My boobs got bigger. And my butt got huge. It was crazy! I was like, Oh my god.' But it was amazing: I was so strong, like crazy strong."
Director David Michôd also told W Magazine that Sweeney "trained her butt off" for the film, which he described as a "wild mix of inspiring underdog sports-world story and personal saga."
Sweeney previously shared a glimpse of herself as Martin on Instagram in October, teasing that the movie is about "a true champion who fought battles both inside and outside the ring." When the film wrapped production in November, she called it "one of the most emotional, transformative experiences of my life" and noted that Martin herself was present during filming.
"There were moments on set where I'd glance over at her standing by the monitors, cheering us on, and I'd just become so emotional," Sweeney said. "Knowing what she's endured, what she's pushed through to be there in that moment — it made me want to cry."
This will be the latest movie to see Sweeney portray a real-life figure after she earned acclaim for her role as whistleblower Reality Winner in the 2023 film "Reality." The Toronto International Film Festival, where "Christy" is set to premiere, often serves as a launching pad for future Oscar contenders, meaning Sweeney could be well-positioned for her first Academy Award nod in 2026.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq and Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
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