TIFF 2025 | Sydney Sweeney lands a knockout with Christy, stokes Oscar buzz

Sydney Sweeney got here to the Toronto International Film Festival wanting to speak about her new movie Christy, not her American Eagle advert marketing campaign. After a rapturous response to the film, she’s getting her want.

The 27-year-old, Emmy-nominated actor landed instant Oscar buzz for her efficiency in David Michôd’s biopic of the boxer Christy Salters Martin. For the function, Sweeney transforms into the feminine boxing trailblazer who emerged out of West Virginia because the Coal Miner’s Daughter to rise to the highest of her then-nascent sport.

Following a rousing reception from the TIFF viewers on Friday, Sweeney stood beside Martin on the stage of the Princess of Wales Theatre, calling it the expertise of her life.

“It was a dream come true, as an actor, as an individual,” Sweeney mentioned.

While Martin had a profession embellished with belts and a Sports Illustrated cowl, her story is outlined by battle. She was raised to disclaim her homosexual identification and as an alternative married her coach, Jim Martin. After years of psychological and bodily abuse, he tried to kill her in 2010, repeatedly stabbing her and capturing her. Jim Martin was sentenced to 25 years in jail. He died final November.

Sweeney’s efficiency alongside Ben Foster, who performs Jim Martin, was swiftly hailed as her finest but. TIFF has lengthy been a launching pad for Oscar campaigns earlier than, and the thunderous reception for Christy, and significantly Sweeney, appeared positive so as to add her to the awards dialog.

Regardless, Christy offers Sweeney the most effective big-screen showcase but of her quickly evolving profession. And provided that she seems all through it in brief darkish hair with a extra muscular construct, it is also her grittiest and least glamorous efficiency thus far.

Martin, praising Sweeney, defined how her boxing persona — bombastic, egotistical — didn’t replicate her shyness or her want to assist others. Since her near-death expertise, Martin has labored to assist home violence survivors

“I’ve these two components of my persona. And I feel that’s why Sydney Sweeney is doing such an superior job,” mentioned Martin. “She acquired to be this completely totally different individual that none of you anticipated. She wasn’t the gorgeous, attractive Sydney. She was the robust, rugged Christy.”

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Going into the premiere, Sweeney deflected questions on her current American Eagle advert marketing campaign with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has nice denims” — a pun on having “nice genes.” Critics accused the advert for glorifying whiteness. The retailer has mentioned the marketing campaign “is and at all times was in regards to the denims.”

Ahead of the pageant, Sweeney instructed Vanity Fair she was going to TIFF to help her film. “I’m not there to speak about denims,” she mentioned. “The film’s about Christy and that’s what I’ll be there to speak about.”

Christy will likely be launched in theatres on November 7 by its co-producer Black Bear within the firm’s first foray into distribution. Sweeney additionally serves as a producer on Christy, with Martin a advisor.

Sweeney mentioned she educated 3 times a day for 2 to 3 months to arrange for the boxing scenes. She had a boxing coach, a nutritionist and weight trainers. “And lots of Chick-fil-A,” she added. “Loads of milkshakes, lots of protein shakes.”

“But it was unimaginable having the ability to fully embody such a strong lady,” mentioned Sweeney. “I felt even stronger.”