Sydney Sweeney Details ‘Emotional’ Experience Playing Boxing Legend Christy Martin on the Big Screen
Sydney Sweeney’s upcoming biopic about women’s boxing icon Christy Martin has officially wrapped.
Earlier this year, Sweeney (Anyone But You, Immaculate) announced that she would portray Martin in a film depicting the trials and tribulations of one of boxing’s most influential females. Over the last several months, Sweeney has documented her incredible body transformation on social media, but she hasn’t commented on her experience making the film until recently.
In a post on the 27-year-old star’s Instagram, Sweeney shared a lengthy tribute to Martin and called her experience on the film “transformative” and “deeply inspiring” alongside a picture of the pair.
“I don’t usually write a lot in my captions, but this movie and experience I feel need more than just a few words. We have wrapped filming Christy Martin’s story and it has been one of the most emotional, transformative experiences of my life. Christy’s journey is so deeply inspiring, and having her by my side during this process was nothing short of surreal. There were moments on set where I’d glance over at her standing by the monitors, cheering us on, and I’d just become so emotional.
“This story is so much bigger than just a film. It’s a testament to resilience, survival, and finding the strength to keep fighting.”
Sydney Sweeney loved the challenge of bringing Martin’s ‘physically and emotionally demanding’ story to the big screen
Competing from 1989 to 2017, Christy Martin amassed an incredible 49-7 record with 32 of her victories coming by way of knockout. Along the way, the West Virginia native captured the WBC women’s super welterweight title.
Martin became a well-known name in the world of boxing during the mid-90s, gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated and becoming the first woman to sign with famed promoter Don King. In 2016, she became the first female boxer inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
14 months after her WBC title win, Martin’s then-husband 66-year-old James V. Martin stabbed her several times and shot her at least once in the torso before leaving her for dead in their Apopka, Florida home following an argument. Miraculously, Martin survived the attack and a week later, he was apprehended.
In April 2012, he was found guilty of attempted second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison — a sentence he is currently serving at the Graceville Correctional Facility in Graceville, Florida.
“Christy’s story isn’t a light one; it’s physically and emotionally demanding, and there’s a lot of weight to carry,” Sweeney told Deadline earlier this year. “But I love challenging myself.”
