Sydney Sweeney is having one hell of a 2024. After the instant cult classic Madame Web, horror hit Immaculate, and Anyone But You dominating for a rom-com, the actress is heading for another big headline gig as she’s set to portray trailblazing boxer Christy Martin in a new biopic.
Sweeney is teaming up with director David Michôd, best known for Animal Kingdom and The King. The untitled project will follow Martin’s rise to become America’s most well-known female boxer in the 1990s. She’s the first woman to sign with iconic promoter Don King and the only female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
The actress told Deadline: “I grappled and did kickboxing from 12 to 19 years old. 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, and there’s a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself.”
“Christy Martin not only legitimized female boxing, but she overcame gender stereotypes and fought through emotional, physical, and financial abuse,” Sweeney adds. “I’m passionate about the fighting world, and Christy’s story shines a light on her incredible rise to the top while showing the struggles of fame behind the curtains. I feel compelled to tell a story about a woman who faced so much adversity and didn’t allow it to defeat her. It’s powerful and emotional.”
Additional casting on the biopic is underway now. Meanwhile Sweeney has two projects in post production, Ron Howard’s survival thriller Eden with Ana de Armas, Jude Law, Daniel Bruhl and Vanessa Kirby, and the thriller Echo Valley starring Julianne Moore and Domhnall Gleeson. She is also attached to lead the cast of Sony’s Barbarella reboot.
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