Sydney Sweeney has the goods to punch her way into the Oscar race for “Christy.”
The talented actress completely transforms in “Christy,” a bruising, emotionally charged biopic about groundbreaking boxer Christy Martin. Directed by Australian filmmaker David Michôd (“Animal Kingdom”), the film chronicles Martin’s rise as the most recognizable female boxer in the late 1980’s America, as well as the harrowing 2010 attempt on her life by her husband and former trainer.
The film bowed at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival to a strong response, positioning Sweeney for a serious run at a best actress nomination — if the right campaign materializes.
Martin was onstage with Sweeney, Michôd and the rest of the cast as the Princess of Wales Theatre crowd hollered.
“Christy, you are absolutely incredible, and I’m so honored. I’m gonna cry! Oh my God, you’re so inspirational,” Sweeney said while wiping back tears. “And so being able to have her by my side during this process was a dream, but then also just scary too, because you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh. Like, we’re, we’re doing this in front of her!’ And I wasn’t quite sure. I mean, she’s the greatest boxer in the entire world, and I’m having to do hooks and hits, and I’m like, I hope and do this, right?”
Martin, who was holding her real-life dog onstage before the pooch ran off to laughs from the crowd, praised Sweeney’s metamorphosis.
“She wasn’t the beautiful, sexy Sydney. She was the tough, rugged Christy,” Martin said.
Sweeney touched on the intense regiment that helped her mould her body into that of an elite boxer. “I trained for two, three months before [shooting]. I had boxing coach, I had weight trainers, I had nutritionists. I trained three times a day, every day, and then while I was filming, I trained as well.”
“And ate a lot of Chick-fil-A,” Michôd interjected.
“Yeah, a lot of milk shakes, a lot of protein shakes,” Sweeney added of her increased caloric intake. “But it was incredible being able to completely embody such a powerful woman. I felt even stronger. It was truly inspiring.”
In many ways, “Christy” plays like Sydney Sweeney’s “I, Tonya” (2017) — a gritty, career-defining showcase that could catapult her into Oscar contention, just as Margot Robbie’s breakout in the biopic did. Like Robbie, Sweeney vanishes into the role, delivering a raw, physically demanding performance that marks the most mature and compelling work of her career. It’s a striking transformation: the typically petite star adds noticeable muscle and heft, and is entirely convincing as a woman whose punches feel like they leave real bruises, not only on her opponents but also on the audience.
At just 27, Sweeney already has two Emmy nominations under her belt — one for “Euphoria” and another for “The White Lotus” in 2022 — and her presence as both star and producer on “Christy” speaks to a strategic pivot toward more prestige-driven material. With the industry warming up to her for some time, this might be the moment they fully embrace her.
Still, history hasn’t always been kind to women in the boxing movie arena. While the sport has delivered Oscar gold to the likes of Robert De Niro (“Raging Bull”) and nominees like Sylvester Stallone (“Rocky”), only one female-led boxing role has ever translated to Oscar success: Hilary Swank’s win for best actress in “Million Dollar Baby” (2004). That’s one nomination, one win, and a long drought since. Fun fact: they mention this very performance in the movie.
The Academy tends to favor physical transformations and high emotional stakes in the acting races — both of which Sweeney delivers in spades. She reportedly trained extensively to portray Martin, and the film spans over three decades of the athlete’s life, ticking off the kind of biopic beats the Academy has long favored.
Ben Foster, one of the most consistently underrated actors of his generation, co-stars as Jim Martin, Christy’s abusive husband and trainer. It’s a volatile and complex role that echoes performances like Laurence Fishburne’s portrayal of Ike Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” (1993). In the instance of Fishburne, it’s one of the rare times that playing a violent and abusive character resulted in an acting nomination.
The fact is, if you play a character too loathsome, the Actors Branch may look the other way. Look at Danny Glover, whose chilling turn in “The Color Purple” (1985) remains one of the Academy’s most notorious snubs, despite the film landing 11 nominations. Foster’s portrayal walks a fine line — repugnant yet human — and while he’s long overdue for recognition (“Lone Survivor,” “3:10 to Yuma,” “Leave No Trace”), this could be a tough nomination to land.
Still, it’s worth noting the Academy’s historical soft spot for boxing trainers (even if he is a monster). Acting nods have gone to Burgess Meredith (“Rocky”), Paul Giamatti (“Cinderella Man”), Clint Eastwood and winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”). Foster’s role is certainly not cut from the same cloth — far darker and more morally fraught.
The ensemble includes memorable turns from Katy O’Brian as Christy’s friend and formal rival, Lisa Holewyne and Merritt Wever as Christy’s cold mother. Still, the standout among the supporting cast might be Chad L. Coleman, who delivers a wickedly entertaining, almost uncanny portrayal of boxing impresario Don King.
Written by Katherine Fugate, Mirrah Foulkes and Michôd, “Christy” compresses a sprawling, three-decade narrative into a gritty, character-driven sports drama. It’s a tough and jarring watch — especially in scenes of domestic violence, which requires trigger warnings for some viewers, but it resonates with urgency and purpose in a world that often seems like it’s turning its back on the #MeToo movement.
While Sweeney’s road to the Dolby Theatre is far from guaranteed — it’s a crowded field this year, with serious contenders such as Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”) and Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”). However, “Christy” has all the ingredients of a viable contender: a transformative lead performance, emotional intensity, social relevance and the biopic blueprint the Academy so often rewards.
Behind the camera, the producing team includes Michôd, Sweeney, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Justin Lothrop, Brent Stiefel and Teddy Schwarzman. The film is set for release Nov. 7 via Black Bear Pictures, giving it a prime awards-season slot.
She may be in the fight of her career — but don’t count her out just yet.
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