How Sydney Sweeney Gained 30 Pounds For Boxing Biopic

Sydney Sweeney is stepping into the ring - and into uncharted territory in her career. The Euphoria and Anyone But You star made her first major public appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), just weeks after facing backlash over her American Eagle ad campaign. At TIFF, the spotlight was firmly on her new film Christy, a bruising biopic about legendary '90s boxer Christy Martin, known as“the Coal Miner's Daughter.” The premiere drew loud applause from audiences and strong praise from critics, with many already hinting at awards season potential.

For Sweeney, the role demanded nothing less than a total transformation. Best known for her romantic and dramatic turns, she packed on over 30 pounds, spent months in training, and refused to rely on stunt doubles.“I was getting pummeled,” Sweeney admitted to Variety, revealing that she endured concussions, black eyes, and bruises on set.“They always had an ice bucket ready. I was getting knocked up. I had some gnarly bruises after that.”

One of the most grueling sequences was her recreation of Christy Martin's iconic fight with Laila Ali, which left her with a“crazy black eye.” Determined to bring realism to the fights, she trained late into the nights after 12-hour shoot days.“It was a gruelling time,” she said,“but I wanted the fights to feel real because Christy's story is such a powerful one.”

Bulking up became a project in itself. Guided by a nutritionist, weight trainer, and boxing coach, Sweeney fuelled herself with high-calorie meals, protein shakes, and what she called a“PB&J diet.”“We upped my calorie intake ... I ate a lot of Smuckers, a lot of PB&J sandwiches, milkshakes, just constantly eating,” she said.“I was burning it all off at the same time, so keeping it up was a real challenge.”

Directed by David Michôd (Animal Kingdom, The King), Christy goes beyond the boxing ring. The film dives into Martin's turbulent personal life, including her violent, controlling marriage to trainer Jim Martin (played by Ben Foster). Based on the Netflix documentary Untold: Deal with the Devil, the screenplay was co-written by Michôd and Mirrah Foulkes, blending sports triumph with the harrowing realities Christy faced outside the ring.

Adding authenticity to Sweeney's performance, Christy Martin herself visited the set often, cheering during fight scenes and offering encouragement as if she were in her own corner.

Early reactions from TIFF suggest Christy could mark a career-defining moment for Sweeney. Already a two-time Emmy nominee for Euphoria and The White Lotus, she is now being discussed in the same breath as potential Oscar contenders. Critics praised her dedication, transformation, and raw performance, calling it her boldest work yet.

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