Sydney Sweeney attended the Road To The Golden Globes party during the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday night, joining a roster of established actors including Kirsten Dunst, Samara Weaving and Elizabeth Olsen.
The 27-year-old, in town to promote the biopic Christy, arrived on the red carpet in a simple strapless little black dress and black stilettos. Dunst, 43, who is at the festival to support her upcoming film Roofman, wore a figure-hugging grey dress with cutouts at the midriff. Samara Weaving turned up in a sheer black gown, while Imogen Poots opted for a backless dress with lace panels and Elizabeth Olsen chose a PVC dress with a plunging neckline. Other attendees included Natalie Portman in a casual T-shirt and jeans and Tessa Thompson in a vibrant pink dress. Channing Tatum, a co-star in Dunst's Roofman, was also at the event.
Sweeney had earlier in the festival become emotional at the screening of Christy, which dramatizes the life of former welterweight champion Christy Martin. Wearing an Erdem blush corset gown at the Friday screening, Sweeney praised Martin and fought back tears, saying, "Christy, you are absolutely incredible, and I’m so honored. I’m gonna cry! Oh my God, you’re so inspirational," according to Variety. Martin, 57, told reporters the portrayal captured a different side of the actress: "She wasn’t the beautiful, sexy Sydney. She was the tough, rugged Christy."
Sweeney described the physical preparation for the role, saying she trained intensively with boxing coaches, weight trainers and nutritionists. She said she trained "three times a day, every day" and continued training while filming, and that she worked to bulk up by drinking protein and milk shakes. The film is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters Nov. 7.
The positive reception in Toronto is notable for Sweeney, whose public profile has been marked this year by controversy and personal developments. A summer marketing campaign for American Eagle, described by the brand as "Sydney Sweeney has good genes/jeans," drew criticism from some social media users and conservative outlets; an analysis by The New York Times reported that much of the attention was amplified by right-leaning media after an initial group of critics with limited followings raised objections.
Sweeney ended her engagement to Jonathan Davino in March and has been the subject of media reports linking her to entertainment executive Scooter Braun; those reports have been widely circulated in tabloid coverage. Separately, two of Sweeney's recent films, Americana and Eden, underperformed at the box office amid mixed reviews, a factor industry observers have said reflects the films' reception rather than Sweeney's individual draw.
At TIFF, other red-carpet moments underscored the festival’s mix of rising and established talent. Dunst promoted Roofman, which pairs her with Tatum, while Weaving is in town for Carolina Caroline. The party served as a gathering point for actors, filmmakers and guests as the festival continues its slate of premieres and industry events.
Festival appearances and the theatrical release of Christy will offer a further measure of Sweeney's commercial and critical standing. The film’s performance and the response to her portrayal of Martin will be watched closely by both fans and industry observers as indicators of her career trajectory following a year of intense publicity and scrutiny.