Sydney Sweeney, renowned for her roles in popular series such as Euphoria and The White Lotus, has recently found herself the center of attention both on and off-screen. With 25 million followers on Instagram and a reputation as a tabloid fixture, Sweeney’s life and career often spark intense scrutiny. Most recently, she came under fire for an American Eagle jeans commercial where some speculated she made a white supremacy sign. This incident deepens a short but ignominious list of controversies surrounding her. Her approval ratings plummeting, she drew even more outrage when she threw herself a birthday bash complete with guests sporting MAGA-style caps.
Sweeney’s latest project, a feature film titled Christy, further highlights her astounding capacity to take on challenging parts. In this documentary film, she takes on the role of Christy Martin—former professional boxer and trailblazer for women’s boxing. Sweeney describes the experience of embodying Christy as transformative, stating she felt “the strongest, full-of-life version of myself.” The character required extreme physical discipline, as Ms. Yeoh explains. Filming took place over seven weeks, and after she had to stop production entirely to lose the 40+ pounds she gained while filming.
She kicked off her adventure by consuming “a shitload of burritos.” Her other goal apart from winning was to get in shape like Christy Martin’s boxing promoter spouse, Jim. Sweeney also quipped that she was basically powered by Uncrustables—frozen jam sandwiches—as a food source on set. The physical demands of embodying a fighter were extreme. Sweeney suffered from multiple concussions and injuries while rehearsing her fight scenes.
“I had concussions, there were some bloody noses.” – Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney’s commitment to the role went further than just getting in shape. She was effectively cut off from the rest of the production for the fight scenes. This provided her the opportunity to have an immersive experience in the world of boxing. She expressed exhilaration in her new identity as a fighter, stating, “I became a fighter. It was such an exhilarating feeling.”
Her co-star, Ben Foster, pointed out that the character was much more complicated. He further observed the difficulty in empathizing with a woman like Christy Martin, which reflects a larger problem in our society. He had a prophetic attitude, saying there are too many bullies walking the earth now. It implies that these dynamics are rooted in a vulnerable, insecure disposition in people who wish to dominate.
Aside from the hilarious physical transformation we get to witness, Sweeney’s portrayal of Christy is a strong example of emotional and spiritual resilience. Robinson doesn’t just lay low and hope for the best. She walks with determination through the firestorm. Though she tries to be as real as possible, she cannot control how people are going to perceive what she does.
“I think what’s interesting is I’m always myself. I’m always just me. But it’s what other people put on me that’s uncontrollable.” – Sydney Sweeney
Her ability to keep a steady head while all that noise was going on, that says so much about who she is. She acknowledges the challenges posed by public scrutiny, stating that she tries to be as genuine as possible while recognizing that “it’s always through other people’s lenses.”
With Sweeney’s star power only increasing, her focus is still on bringing important narratives to life. Her commitment to Christy’s story is a testament to her commitment to truth over clickbait or drama.
“I mean, I’m incredibly honoured that people are talking that way. But I’ve always said that I did this for Christy. For me, all that mattered was that she was happy with the film and that people get to see her story.” – Sydney Sweeney
She’s on her way up. She’s signed with legendary promoter Don King and she’s become a full-fledged superstar, dazzling audiences on the talk show circuit and even appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Despite it all, she insists that all the attention and controversy is not what drives her—it’s her art.
Christy director David Michôd spoke to Sweeney’s urgency and fervor in the role. He explained that even as they talked on Zoom, he could feel her commitment to make sure Christy’s story was told in an appropriate and respectful way.
“You can just tell. I was on a Zoom with her and I could tell that she wanted this really, really bad. You can just feel that energy in a person.” – David Michôd