When Sydney Sweeney accepted the role of legendary boxer Christy Martin in the new biopic Christy, she knew the story demanded more than dramatized punches—it required honesty, transformation, and deep research. The actress recently revealed how her 2020 interview appearance on 48 Hours provided a key foundation for her work, helping her understand Martin’s life both inside and outside the ring.
Martin, raised in rural West Virginia and known as the “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” broke new ground in women’s boxing during the 1990s. But her life wasn’t limited to victories and trophies—her journey includes late-night training sessions, public triumphs, and deeply private struggles. Sweeney’s preparation reflects that dual reality.
Sweeney didn’t just don gloves—she rebuilt her body, mindset, and discipline to fit Martin’s world. In interviews, she described turning her grandmother’s shed in Idaho into a makeshift boxing gym, installing flooring, bag work, and daily training sessions. She gained about 30–35 pounds of muscle mass to convincingly portray Martin’s lean, powerful frame and boxing gait.
Moreover, Sweeney didn’t go it alone. She leaned on Martin’s real-life footage, book excerpts, and the 48 Hours episode in which Martin candidly discussed her past—including her struggles with identity, drug addiction, and domestic abuse. Sweeney said, “I had Christy in my corner… I could ask questions, watch her fights, and build from that.”
Martin’s rise was spectacular—49 wins, global recognition, and even the cover of Sports Illustrated for a female boxer. Yet underpinning that legacy are chapters of survival: battling an abusive marriage to her trainer-husband Jim Martin, coping with identity suppression, and surviving a violent attack in 2010. Sweeney and the film team committed early on to honoring the full range of Martin’s story without sanitizing it. As Martin herself requested, “Don’t Hollywood-ize my life. There’s enough crazy stuff that’s happened.” The result is a biopic that aims to balance athletic achievement with emotional truth.
Christy premiered in September 2025 at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Sweeney and Martin appeared together on the red carpet. Martin praised Sweeney’s authenticity: “Her boxing moves are just like mine.” While critics noted Sweeney’s convincing transformation, some questioned whether the film fully capitalized on Martin’s layered story. A review from The Washington Post called the movie “competent but not nearly as bold as its subject.” Regardless of critique, the premiere marked a milestone: a female boxer’s story given a serious, high-profile movie treatment, and a rising actress pushing her limits.
Beyond the boxing gloves and the big screen, this story resonates on several levels. Christy Martin fought in a male-dominated sport and insisted: “I didn’t want to be a good woman fighter. I wanted to be the best.” Her experience surviving a violent relationship underscores themes of power, control, and survival. And with Sweeney devoting months to physical training and real-life preparation, the film proves this story deserves authenticity, not embellishment.
As Martin told 48 Hours: “If you can believe it, you can achieve it. Dream big.” That message is one both Sweeney and the film aim to carry forward.
For Sweeney, this isn’t just another role—it’s a leap into the ring of transformation, both physically and emotionally. For Martin, it’s a long-awaited spotlight on her full story, not just her victories. The biopic Christy is set to release in U.S. theaters on November 7, 2025.
Whether you’re drawn by the boxing, the survival story, or the layered portrait of a woman who knocked down more than opponents, this film aims to deliver both spectacle and substance.