Sydney Sweeney will play Christy Martin in a new biopic from David Michôd. The film will be shopped around to potential buyers at Cannes this year.
Deadline reported the movement on the forthcoming biopic. The film, which is still untitled, “will chart the true story of Martin’s rise to become America’s most well-known female boxer in the 1990s — the ‘female Rocky,'” one of the producers told Deadline.
Director Michôd also teased the plot: “The film is about Christy as a young gay woman in small-town West Virginia in the 1990s. She came from a relatively conservative family and wasn’t allowed to be who she was so she used boxing as a vehicle to express herself and her rage. She had to make some dangerous and fundamental compromises in her life, the most important of which was marrying an incredibly dangerous man.”
The Christy Martin biopic is planning on commencing filming in the fall. Black Bear, who previously worked on the Sweeney-led horror film, Immaculate, will shop the film at Cannes.
Who is Christy Martin?
The report further detailed Martin's life.
“A naturally gifted fighter, her life transformed in 1989 when she met her manager, and later husband, Jim Martin. Breaking boundaries, she became the first woman to sign with iconic promoter Don King, and the only female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated,” the report read. “Her charisma, good looks, and resilience in the ring won her an avid fanbase and propelled her to become welterweight champion. But behind the well-honed public persona, she tackled personal demons, toxic relationships, and a brutal attempt on her life.”
Sydney Sweeney to ‘transform' her body
“I grappled and did kickboxing from 12-19 years old. I’ve been itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform my body,” Sweeney told Deadline. “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,” she continued.
Sydney Sweeney first gained notoriety for her roles in Everything Sucks! and The Handmaid's Tale. Her biggest role to date is in HBO's Euphoria. Sweeney stars as Cassie Howard in the series. She also starred in the first season of Mike White's anthology series, The White Lotus.
On the big screen, Sweeney has starred in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Under the Silver Lake, and Reality. She recently gained wider recognition for her performances in Anyone But You, a new rom-com with Glen Powell, Immaculate, and Madame Web.
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