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Sydney Sweeney To Take On 'Physically And Emotionally Demanding' Role Of Christy Martin In Untitled Boxing Biopic
The project is poised to showcase Christy Martin's resilience and the impact she made on the boxing world, with Sydney Sweeney at the helm bringing her story to life.
Sydney Sweeney in a sports biopic? Yes, please!
The Anyone But You and Madame Web actress is set to take on the role of legendary boxer Christy Martin as her next project, which is still to finalize a title. The movie, set to be directed by David Michôd of Animal Kingdom and The King, per Deadline, will chart the true story of Martin’s rise to become America’s most well-known female boxer in the 1990s — the ‘female Ricky’ in the words of the film’s producers.
The role will certainly be a fresh and unexplored territory for Sweeney, who came to be known as the Hollywood sweetheart following her recent success in Anyone But You. However, regardless of what image the world has painted of Sweeney, per the Madame Web actress’ statement to the aforementioned publication, she is “itching to get back into the ring.”
Sydney Sweeney's Personal Connection Fuels Portrayal of Christy Martin in Biopic
“I grappled and did kickboxing from 12-19 years old. I've been itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform my body. Christy’s story isn't a light one, it's physically and emotionally demanding, there's a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself,” Sweeney told Deadline.
Gushing about the real-life hero of the story, the Euphoria star noted, “Christy Martin not only legitimized female boxing, she overcame gender stereotypes and fought through emotional, physical, and financial abuse,” and therefore “I feel compelled to tell a story about a woman who faced so much adversity and didn't allow it to defeat her.”
About the project set to start filming this fall, director Michôd told Deadline: “I have a history of making movies about damaged men and I’d been wanting to make a film about a woman with a ferocious energy inside her. When I came across the Christy Martin story two years ago I knew I'd found it.”
“Her ferocity is intelligible and justifiable and audiences will crave it because of the circumstances she was forced to endure,” he added.
Martin dominated the female boxing scene from 1989 to 2012. In 2016, she became the first female boxer to be inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, and in 2020, she received an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Additionally, she made history as the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
All You Need to Know About the Untitled Sydney Sweeney Project
The script for the ambitious sports drama comes from Mirrah Foulkes and Michôd. Producers attached to the film are Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Michôd, Justin Lothorp, Brent Stiefel, and Sydney Sweeney.
The script arc per Michôd is as follows: “The film is about Christy as a young gay woman in small-town West Virginia in the 1990s. She came from a relatively conservative family and wasn't allowed to be who she was so she used boxing as a vehicle to express herself and her rage. She had to make some dangerous and fundamental compromises in her life, the most important of which was marrying an incredibly dangerous man.”
About choosing Sweeney to bring Christy alive on screen, Michôd said, “She has been ferociously sporty since she was a kid and has a taste for the fight game.”
Her most recent movie Immaculate is available to rent and watch on Amazon.
ALSO READ: 'As Scary As Talking About Marvel': Sydney Sweeney Shares Thoughts On 'Discussing' Euphoria Season 3
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