Actress Sydney Sweeney (“Euphoria“) is fresh off romcom “Anyone But You” and the horror “Immaculate.” It seems she will be switching up genres once again for a biopic about the trailblazing boxer Christy Martin. The new project is set to hit the market at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
The currently untitled film will be directed by David Michôd (“The King”), from a script he co-wrote with Mirrah Foulkes (“Judy & Punch”). It tells the story of Martin’s rise to prominence in the 1990s. With the aid of her manager/husband, Jim Martin, she broke boundaries all over the sport. Martian was the first woman to sign with iconic promoter Don King. She is also the only female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Martin fought her way through the industry to become the welterweight champion. However, her personal life was plagued by personal demons, toxic relationships, and an attempt on her life. Producers are already referring to the film as the “female Rocky.”
“The film is about Christy as a young gay woman in small-town West Virginia in the 1990s,” Michôd told Deadline about the script. “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.”
Sweeney As Martin
Sweeney has a long-time passion for boxing and MMA. “I grappled and did kickboxing from 12-19 years old,” the actress explained. “I’ve been itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform my body. 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,” Sweeney adds. “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 Inspiration
“I have a history of making movies about damaged men and I’d been wanting to make a film about a woman with a ferocious energy inside her,” said Michôd. “When I came across the Christy Martin story two years ago I knew I’d found it. Her ferocity is intelligible and justifiable and audiences will crave it because of the circumstances she was forced to endure”.
Adding; “Sydney’s performance in Reality knocked my socks off. She has been ferociously sporty since she was a kid and has a taste for the fight game.”
The film plans to start shooting next fall. We’ll keep you posted on updates about the project as they become available.
