Sydney Sweeney’s transformation has been revealed in a first-look image from her new boxing biopic, Christy. Directed by David Michôd, with a script he co-wrote with Mirrah Foulkes, the upcoming film follows the former professional boxer Christy Martin, chronicling her rise as the most famous female fighter during the 1990s to her attempted murder by her husband in 2010.

In addition to Sweeney as Christy Martin, the cast also includes Ben Foster as her husband James V. Martin alongside Merritt Wever, Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding), Ethan Embry, Jess Gabor, Chad L. Coleman, and Tony Cavalero. Filming started in September 2024, was completed the following November, and now, the first look has been revealed.

Shared by TIFF on X, formerly Twitter, the first look at Sydney Sweeney’s transformation in the Christy Martin biopic was revealed. The pH๏τo shows the fighter inside the ring, exuding fierce determination and drenched in sweat, wearing red gloves and white gear, while seemingly celebrating a victory. Check out the image below:

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What The Christy Martin Movie Image Means For Sydney Sweeney

She’s Undergone A Drastic Physical Transformation

The first-look pH๏τo, first and foremost, shows that Sydney Sweeney has undergone a drastic physical transformation for her role as Christy Martin, shedding her signature glamour for a more gritty and muscular build. With cropped hair, bruised skin, and a fierce intensity, Sweeney fully embodies the toughness of the boxing legend.

In an interview earlier this year, Sweeney detailed her physical transformation to play Christy Martin. She detailed her rigorous training routine, which involved eating more, lifting weights, and kickboxing for around two hours each afternoon. As a result of this intense preparation, her body changed significantly, and even her jeans went up in size. Read her full quote below:

I loved it. I came onboard to play Christy, and I had about three and a half months of training. I started eating. I weight-trained in the morning for an hour, kickboxed midday for about two hours, and then weight-trained again at night for an hour. My body was completely different. I didn’t fit in any of my clothes. I’m usually a size 23 in jeans, and I was wearing a size 27. My boobs got bigger. And my ʙuтт got huge. It was crazy! I was like, Oh my god. But it was amazing: I was so strong, like crazy strong.

Our Take On The Christy Martin Movie Image

Could Sydney Sweeney Receive Her First Oscar Nomination?

Sydney Sweeney has received Emmy nominations for her performances in Euphoria and The White Lotus season 1 and has ascended into superstardom, though she has yet to receive her first Oscar nomination. The Christy Martin biopic could be the movie that changes that, especially since she underwent a dramatic physical transformation, which is generally a surefire way to garner Oscar attention.

Additionally, boxing movies have historically been great vehicles for actors to earn Oscar nominations, including Sylvester Stallone for Rocky (1976), Robert De Niro winning for Raging Bull (1980), Will Smith for Ali (2001), Hilary Swank for Million Dollar Baby (2004), and Christian Bale winning for The Fighter (2010). Premiering at TIFF​​​​​​​, Christy could finally be the performance that earns Sweeney her elusive first Oscar nomination.​​​​​​​

Source: TIFF