Sydney Sweeney Fights Her Way Into the Oscar Race at TIFF World Premiere of ‘Christy’: ‘I’m Gonna Cry!’

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Sep 6

Sydney Sweeney in 'Christy.' **COURTESY OF TIFF**

Sydney Sweeney transforms into trailblazing boxer Christy Martin in David Michôd’s bruising, career-defining biopic that packs both emotional and physical punches.

Sydney Sweeney just landed a knockout punch in the Oscar race. At the world premiere of David Michôd’s Christyduring the Toronto International Film Festival, the Emmy-nominated actress brought the house down with her raw, transformative turn as Christy Martin — the first woman boxer to sign with Don King and a pioneer of female sports in America.

The response inside the Princess of Wales Theatre was electric. Sweeney, visibly emotional, fought back tears as she paid tribute to Martin, who joined her onstage after the screening. “Christy, you are absolutely incredible, and I’m so honored. I’m gonna cry! You’re so inspirational,” she said, adding that embodying Martin in front of the woman herself was as intimidating as it was exhilarating. Martin praised Sweeney’s commitment, saying, “She wasn’t the beautiful, sexy Sydney. She was the tough, rugged Christy.”

Directed by Michôd (Animal Kingdom, The King), Christy spans three decades — from Martin’s rise in the late 1980s, to her championship fame, to the harrowing 2010 attempt on her life by her abusive husband and trainer Jim Martin, played by Ben Foster. The boxing sequences are visceral and brutal, but the film’s most devastating blows come outside the ring, where scenes of domestic violence play out with unflinching realism. Sweeney disappears into the role, physically bulking up and adopting the demeanor of an athlete constantly on guard — her punches land as convincingly as her moments of vulnerability.

The project recalls Margot Robbie’s Oscar-nominated breakout in I, Tonya. Like Robbie, Sweeney not only stars but also produces, signaling her intent to shift into prestige filmmaking. At 27, with Euphoria and The White Lotus behind her, she’s making a strategic leap that could reshape her career. Critics and festivalgoers alike noted the “Oscar blueprint” baked into Christy: physical transformation, a complex biopic arc, and high emotional stakes.

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Foster’s portrayal of Jim Martin is already dividing audiences — monstrous yet recognizably human, it’s the kind of volatile role the Academy sometimes shies away from. Still, his performance echoes the kind of unflinching work that has historically scored acting nods for boxing trainers and foils, from Burgess Meredith (Rocky) to Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby). Supporting turns from Katy O’Brian, Merritt Wever, and Chad L. Coleman (who nearly steals the film as Don King) round out the ensemble.

Christy doesn’t pull punches in depicting the physical and psychological toll of abuse, but it also doubles as a celebration of Martin’s endurance. For audiences — and for awards voters — it’s as much about survival as it is about sport. Whether the Academy embraces it remains to be seen, but TIFF has made one thing clear: Sydney Sweeney just stepped into the ring, and she’s not backing down.