Sydney Sweeney captivated the Toronto International Film Festival audience with a powerful performance as pioneering boxer Christy Martin, earning her first standing ovation when the biopic "Christy" premiered on September 5, 2025.

Directed by David Michôd, the film chronicles Martin's rise from West Virginia Toughman contests to Sports Illustrated cover star and her harrowing survival of domestic violence at the hands of her husband and trainer, Jim Martin (Ben Foster).

Sweeney underwent a dramatic physical transformation for the role, gaining more than 30 pounds of muscle through a rigorous two- to three-month training regimen that included boxing drills, weightlifting sessions, and strict meal plans designed by nutrition specialists. She trained three times a day, every day, including during shooting, to ensure authenticity and refused to use a stunt double for fight scenes, enduring bruises and concussions in pursuit of realism.

Onstage at TIFF, Sweeney shared the stage with the real Christy Martin and her dog Champ, both of whom witnessed Sweeney's embodiment of Martin's complex persona. Martin praised the performance, noting.

In a later discussion, Martin emphasized that the film's true power lies in its unflinching portrayal of abuse: "If you leave me, I will kill you," she recalled from Jim's chilling threats, which are depicted in one of the film's most intense sequences.

Industry insiders quickly placed Sweeney on the Oscar watch list. Scott Mantz hailed her work as a "knockout performance" and described it as "Oscar-worthy," while Variety called her turn "the most mature and compelling work of her career," provided the film receives strong awards-season promotion. At 27, Sweeney has already earned two Emmy nominations for her television work, but "Christy" marks her first leading role as both star and producer in a feature film aimed squarely at awards recognition.

Beyond the ring, "Christy" tackles themes of identity, resilience, and survival. The screenplay condenses Martin's decades-long story into a lean narrative that balances triumphs in the boxing ring with the emotional toll of hiding her sexuality and weathering domestic violence. Chad L. Coleman appears as the flamboyant promoter Don King, and Merritt Wever plays Martin's distant mother, providing strong support in the film's quieter moments.

With a U.S. release scheduled for November 7, "Christy" arrives just in time for awards season buzz. If the industry responds as enthusiastically as the TIFF audience, Sydney Sweeney may well find herself among the nominees when Oscar voting opens next year.

Tags
Sydney Sweeney, Biopic, Performance