Sydney Sweeney lands next lead movie role in boxing biopic
Sydney Sweeney will follow the success of Anyone but You and Immaculate with a major sports biopic.
The Euphoria star is leading the cast of an untitled film about the life of boxing champion Christy Martin.
Described as "the female Rocky" by the biopic's producers, Christy held the World Boxing Council's Super Welterweight Championship and was voted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
Christy was the first woman to sign with iconic boxing promoter Don King, but her incredible success in the ring obscured a fraught personal life as a closeted woman growing up in a strictly conservative community.
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The film will be written by Mirrah Foulkes and David Michôd, who previously collaborated on the hit Australian film Animal Kingdom. Michôd will also be directing the biopic.
Sydney told Deadline that she has unknowingly been training for the role for years through her interest in MMA and kickboxing.
"I’ve been itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform my body," she said. "Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding, there’s a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself.
"Christy Martin not only legitimized female boxing, she overcame gender stereotypes, and fought through emotional, physical, and financial abuse. I’m passionate about the fighting world, 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."
The in-demand actor, who debuted a gothic hair transformation at the Met Gala this week, has other major projects on the horizon too.
She will be co-starring with Julianne Moore and Domhnall Gleeson in Echo Valley — a Sir Ridley Scott-produced thriller about a horse trainer (Moore) whose life is turned upside down by her daughter's (Sweeney) revelation.
The actor is also a part of the ensemble cast of survival thriller Eden, alongside Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, and Jude Law.
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