Sydney Sweeney attended the Road To The Golden Globes party during the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, joining a group of established actors including Kirsten Dunst, Samara Weaving and Elizabeth Olsen as the festival continued to draw industry talent to the city.
Sweeney, 27, who is at TIFF to promote Christy, a biopic in which she portrays former welterweight champion Christy Martin, appeared on the red carpet in a strapless little black dress and black stilettos. The event also drew Dunst, who wore a figure-hugging grey dress with midriff cutouts; Samara Weaving in a sheer black gown; Imogen Poots in a backless ensemble with lace panels; and Olsen in a PVC dress with a plunging neckline. Channing Tatum, who co-stars with Dunst in Roofman, was also among attendees.
The appearance followed Friday’s TIFF screening of Christy, where Sweeney fought back tears in an Erdem blush-colored corset gown while praising Martin, who was in attendance. "Christy, you are absolutely incredible, and I’m so honored. I’m gonna cry! Oh my God, you’re so inspirational," Sweeney told Martin, according to Variety. Martin, 57, said Sweeney’s performance captured the boxer's toughness: "She wasn’t the beautiful, sexy Sydney. She was the tough, rugged Christy," Variety reported.
Sweeney has described the physical preparation for the role as extensive. She said she trained for two to three months before filming, worked with a boxing coach, weight trainers and nutritionists, and continued training while shooting. To bulk up for the part she said she consumed protein shakes and other high-calorie supplements, and added that embodying Martin made her "feel even stronger," per Variety.
The film is scheduled to open in theaters on Nov. 7. Observers and industry watchers have framed the TIFF screenings and festival appearances as an early test of Sweeney’s box-office draw following mixed results for two recent projects. Sweeney’s films Americana and Eden have underperformed commercially and received tepid reviews, a trend that could affect perceptions of her star power when Christy reaches wider audiences.
Sweeney’s festival appearances come amid a string of off-screen controversies and reports that have kept her in the headlines. In late July, an American Eagle marketing campaign that featured Sweeney under the slogan "good genes/jeans" prompted criticism from some social media accounts; The New York Times reported that the backlash was amplified by right-wing media after originating with a small number of accounts. Sweeney ended her engagement to Jonathan Davino in March, and media outlets have reported she has been seen socially with music executive Scooter Braun; People reported the pair spent Labor Day weekend together in Lake Tahoe.
At TIFF, other stars showed a range of styles and levels of formality. Natalie Portman opted for a casual jeans-and-T-shirt look while Tessa Thompson wore a vibrant pink dress. Filmmakers, cast and crew used the festival platform to promote upcoming releases, stage interviews and cultivate awards-season momentum.
Festival screenings and associated parties often serve as early indicators for awards-season trajectories and box-office prospects. For Sweeney, the critical response to Christy and audience turnout when the film opens in November will be key measures of whether the project further elevates her profile or joins her recent releases in falling short of industry expectations.