Actress Ruby Rose has ripped into Sydney Sweeney for her performance in the lesbian boxing biopic Christy, branding her a “cretin” who “ruined the film.”
Released last Friday, Christy stars Sweeney as women’s boxing legend Christy Martin, a pioneer of the sport who overcame domestic abuse to become one of the most celebrated female boxers of the 1990s.
Yet the film debuted at a disastrous No.11 over the weekend, taking home just $1.3 million in what was one of the worst debuts ever for a movie released in over 2,000 American cinemas.
Sweeney posted a half-hearted defense of the project following the flop, thanking fans for supporting the movie and claiming she did it for the “people.”
Rose, who claims she was originally cast in the lead role, accused Sweeney of driving away the film’s core audience with her right-leaning views and lacking a connection to the material.
“The original Christy Martin script was incredible. Life-changing. I was attached to play Cherry,” Rose wrote on Threads, referring to a nickname for Martin.
“Everyone had experience with the core material. Most of us were actually gay. It’s part of why I stayed in acting. Losing roles happens all the time.”
But turning her ire towards Sweeney, she added, “For her PR to talk about it flopping and saying SS did it for the ‘people’. None of ‘the people’ want to see someone who hates them, parading around pretending to be us.
“You’re a cretin and you ruined the film. Period. Christy deserved better.”
Sweeney, a registered Republican, spent the film’s promotional cycle dodging questions about white supremacy, which have followed her for months after her American Eagle ad campaign was accused of using racist language used by eugenicists.
The actress’ silence on the issue has dogged her for months, tarnishing her public image. Yet when asked for her thoughts on a debate that saw even President Donald Trump and JD Vance weigh in on the campaign, the star had nothing to say.
“I did a jean ad,” she told GQ this week.. “I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life.”
Sweeney’s PR team was also caught hassling critics of the film as they sought to do damage control for the star’s reputation following the film’s flop.
“Got this PR email today, never got one like it before—her team’s down BAD,” film critic Eric Italiano wrote on X alongside a leaked email for her PR team.
“Hi Eric. Would you please mind updating the headline for us to say that despite low box office, the audience has spoken!” the message read. “We are 99% positive on the Popcornmeter!”
Filmmaker Brian Long revealed Sweeney’s PR team had also contacted him after he posted a meme joking about white supremacists turning up to watch the movie.
“NO SHOT Sydney Sweeney PR IS trying to do damage control for this tweet I’m crying,” he wrote on X, alongside a screenshot from her PR team.
“Hi Brian. Reaching out on behalf of Sydney Sweeney and the Christy team,” read the message, signed by Paradigm Talent Agency. “Your derogatory tweet unfairly paints our film in a negative light, even though it has a 99% audience score on Popcorn Meter and strong rave reviews for Sydney’s performance.
“It’s disappointing to see a genuine, original project reduced to such cheap shot online. We’d appreciate more balanced thought next time, especially towards original cinema.”
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