Sydney Sweeney said she gained roughly 30 pounds and leaned on an unconventional diet — including “a lot of Chick‑fil‑A” and milkshakes — as part of an intensive physical transformation to portray boxing legend Christy Martin in the biopic Christy.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, where Sweeney, 27, and Martin, 57, stood together as the audience gave the film a prolonged standing ovation that moved Sweeney to tears. Sweeney told reporters she trained three times a day for three months with boxing coaches, nutritionists and weight trainers, and described the regimen as necessary to fully embody Martin, whom she called “the greatest boxer in the entire world.”
Sweeney listed the elements of her diet onstage alongside Martin, saying it involved “a lot of Chick‑fil‑A, a lot, a lot of Smucker’s, a lot of milkshakes, a lot of protein shakes.” She added that the physical transformation left her feeling stronger and that inhabiting the role was “truly inspiring.” Early reactions from festival audiences and some critics praised her performance, with a handful of reviews describing it as awards‑caliber.
Martin, the real‑life fighter whose career included multiple world titles and a widely publicized survival of domestic violence, praised Sweeney’s dedication in interviews ahead of the parade for the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. In an interview with DailyMail.com over the summer, Martin described Sweeney as a “perfectionist” who was serious about getting the boxing and the film’s depiction of domestic abuse right.
Sweeney’s work on Christy comes amid heightened public attention. Earlier this year she appeared in an American Eagle advertising campaign that attracted controversy and online criticism; Sweeney declined to address the campaign at the Toronto premiere, saying in an interview with Vanity Fair that she was at the festival “to support my movie and the people involved in making it, and I’m not there to talk about jeans.”
The actress, who has not been nominated for an Academy Award, has been among Hollywood’s most in‑demand performers and has drawn attention for both her career choices and her personal life. Reports in recent months have linked Sweeney to music executive Scooter Braun; People reported that the two spent Labor Day weekend together in Lake Tahoe. Sweeney ended her engagement to film producer Jonathan Davino in March, and sources have told several outlets that she is focused on her career and not seeking to enter another committed relationship.
Christy dramatizes Martin’s rise in the sport and her struggles outside the ring. The film’s production team assembled boxing coaches and specialists to prepare the actors for realistic fight sequences, and Sweeney’s regimen reflects a wider trend in acting that prioritizes physical transformation for roles. Festival audiences responded strongly to the film’s portrayal of the boxer’s life and to Sweeney’s performance; the film’s theatrical release date has been scheduled following its festival run.
Representatives for Sweeney and for the film did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment. Christy’s screening in Toronto marked one of the early major premieres of the fall festival season, where performances and potential awards contenders are increasingly scrutinized by critics and industry observers.