Actress Sydney Sweeney (“Anyone But You,” “Immaculate”) will be getting into the ring for her next role. Sweeney has been cast as legendary boxer Christy Martin in a new movie from director David Michôd, according to a report from Deadline.
Martin began her rise in the 1990s, achieving levels of fame previously unheard for other female boxers. Martin became the first women’s boxer to sign with promoter Don King and the first female boxer to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. At one point in her career, Martin went 35 consecutive fights without a loss.
As successful as Martin was, she also endured unspeakable hardships outside the ring, including within her relationship with manager and husband Jim Martin. Sweeney, a big fan of combat sports, said she looks forward to portraying such a complex person on screen.
“I grappled and did kickboxing from 12-19 years old,” Sweeney told Deadline. “I’ve been itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform my body. Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding, there’s a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself.”
Michôd (“Animal Kingdom”, “The King”) said many of his films to this point have been about “damaged men.” For this film, he wanted to tell the story of a woman with “ferocious energy” and found that in Martin.
“When I came across the Christy Martin story two years ago I knew I’d found it,” Michôd said. “Her ferocity is intelligible and justifiable and audiences will crave it because of the circumstances she was forced to endure.”
The film is still casting other roles, and it will be presented to potential buyers at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival next week.
