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Transforming into a Fighter: Sydney Sweeney on Portraying Boxing Legend Christy Martin

Sydney Sweeney has taken on one of the most demanding roles of her career in the new biopic Christy, where she transforms into legendary boxer Christy Martin. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, showcases a side of Sweeney that fans have never seen before — intense, disciplined, and fully immersed in the physical and emotional world of professional boxing.

To embody Martin’s strength and story authentically, Sweeney underwent a complete transformation. She worked closely with a nutritionist, trained for several hours a day, and gained nearly 30 pounds of muscle. Sweeney described the process as “losing herself to become a vessel for somebody else,” explaining that she loved the challenge of capturing Christy’s energy, resilience, and power.

What made the experience even more daunting was Christy Martin’s presence on set. Sweeney admitted that she was nervous performing in front of the real-life boxing icon, feeling a huge responsibility to honor her legacy. Martin’s involvement, however, motivated Sweeney to dig deeper into her character, ensuring that every punch and emotion felt real.

Sweeney revealed that she and her co-stars didn’t use stunt doubles during the film’s fight sequences. Instead, they actually hit each other to make the scenes as authentic as possible. She said, “Every single fight you see, we are actually punching each other… we are going full force.” The bruises, sweat, and exhaustion became part of the storytelling.

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Focusing solely on the film, Sweeney avoided unrelated topics during interviews, emphasizing her dedication to Christy’s story. Christy releases in the US on November 7 and in the UK and Ireland on November 28, promising to deliver one of Sweeney’s most transformative and powerful performances yet.

READ MORE: When The Rock Took a Punch — Why The Smashing Machine Failed at the Box Office

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