Sydney Sweeney is sharing the intense steps she took to prepare for her latest role â and her training came with an unusual diet.
The “Euphoria” actress, 27, stars as female boxing legend Christy Martin in the upcoming biopic “Christy,” which premiered Sept. 5 at the Toronto International Film Festival. During the screening at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Sweeney stood alongside Martin, 57, and reflected on what it took to bring her story to life.
Sydney Sweeney Ate Chick-fil-A to Play Boxer Christy Martin
“I trained for two or three months before I had a boxing coach,” Sweeney told the audience. “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.”
Director David Michôd chimed in with a laugh, adding that Sweeneyâs preparation included “a lot of Chick-fil-A.” The actress confirmed, noting her diet also featured “a lot of Smucker’s, a lot of milkshakes, a lot of protein shakes.” She added, “But it was incredible being able to completely embody such a powerful woman.”
Sweeneyâs physical transformation for the role drew scrutiny online. As she prepared to play Martin, the actress became the target of body-shaming comments on social media. She pushed back with an Instagram montage, first sharing a collage of cruel posts mocking her appearance in viral bikini photos. The reel ended with clips of her powering through intense workouts â including boxing drills â in a pointed response to the criticism.
Sweeney Receives Standing Ovation at TIFF
The audience gave “Christy” a standing ovation, leaving Sweeney visibly emotional.
“As you can tell, she’s such a special and incredible human being, and her story deserves to be told,” Sweeney said of Martin. Fighting back tears, she added, “Christy, you are absolutely incredible, and I’m so honored.”
Sweeney admitted that having Martin watch her performance was both inspiring and nerve-wracking. “Being able to have her by my side during this process was a dream â but then also just scary too,” she said. “Because you’re like, âOh, my gosh, we’re doing this in front of her.â”
Martin, who dominated womenâs boxing throughout the 1990s, later told People that it was âawesomeâ to share the premiere with Sweeney. “It was one thing to be in a Tyson fight,” she joked. “It’s another thing to be at a premiere with Sydney Sweeney.”
A Role With Power & Pain
Directed by Michôd, “Christy” follows Martinâs rise in the boxing ring while also exploring her struggles with domestic abuse. The film, co-written by Katherine Fugate and Mirrah Foulkes, is set for theatrical release on Nov. 7.
“Being able to completely embody such a powerful woman,” Sweeney told the TIFF audience, “was worth every single step of the journey.”
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