Sydney Sweeney has shed light on the prep she did to embody boxer Christy Martin in the new biopic Christy.
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The film charts the career of American boxer Martin, who rose to prominence as one of the most successful female athletes in the sport in the ‘90s and ‘00s, later enduring and surviving domestic violence and an attempt on her life by her husband and former trainer, who is portrayed by Ben Foster in the film.
Speaking at the film’s premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Friday (September 5), Sweeney touched on her much-discussed transformation into the film’s titular boxer, which has seen her gain over 30 pounds in preparation for the role.
Sweeney told the crowd that she trained for around three months with a boxing coach before filming, and also worked with weight trainers and a nutritionist. “I trained two to three times a day, every day, and then while I was filming, I trained, as well,” said Sweeney.
New look at Sydney Sweeney as professional boxer Christy Martin in the upcoming biopic ‘CHRISTY’
(via @VanityFair) pic.twitter.com/Tm24RfFfOR
— Lights, Camera, Barstool (@LightsCameraPod) September 4, 2025
As for packing on muscle, director David Michôd said there was “a lot of Chick-fil-A” involved. Sweeney agreed, adding: “A lot of Smuckers, a lot of milkshakes, a lot of protein shakes. But it was incredible being able to completely embody such a powerful woman.”
Martin, who consulted on the film, said her boxing persona felt very separate from her genuine personality, which she felt Sweeney did an “awesome job” balancing.
“Christy the boxer was just the persona, very bombastic and very egotistical, but that is not who I am. I am actually very shy and reserved,” she explained. “I have these two different parts of my personality, which I think is why Sydney Sweeney does this awesome job.
“She got to be this totally different person that none of you expected. She wasn’t the beautiful, sexy Sydney. She was the tough, rugged Christy in this movie.”
Scheduled for a November 7 release in the US, there is no UK release date announced as yet for Christy, although it will be one of the gala screenings at this year’s London Film Festival on October 17.
Elsewhere at the film festival, the actor made headlines after emphasising that she would not be talking about the recent American Eagle controversy, saying: “The movie’s about Christy, and that’s what I’ll be there to talk about.”
It comes after the Euphoria star drew criticism for her involvement in the brand’s jeans campaign, which many online have accused of having racially charged undertones. Both Lizzo and Doja Cat have criticised the campaign, while Sweeney was heckled at a separate film premiere recently, with an onlooker shouting: “Stop the ad, that is being racist!”
American Eagle released a statement in early August, saying: “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story”. The commercial received praise from US President Donald Trump, who also expressed delight at the news that Sweeney was registered as a Republican supporter at the last election.
Recently, Sweeney hit back at critics of another of her endorsements, pointing out what she perceives as the hypocrisy of people criticising her for selling soap infused with her own bathwater.
