Legendary actress Kim Novak has voiced strong concerns over the upcoming film “Scandalous,” which explores her relationship with iconic entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. The film is currently scheduled to begin production with Sydney Sweeney playing Novak. The actress is understandably angry, as she believes that it could mislead people about the nature of their relationship.
In a recent interview with The Times of London, Novak expressed outrage that the film focused on the sexual side of her relationship with Davis Jr. She said, “There’s no way it wouldn’t be a sexual relationship because Sydney Sweeney is sexy all the time. She made it clear that their connection was much more than sexual chemistry. She stressed that she would have “never approved” of a project that did not honor that depth.
The two had met for the first time five years prior, during a joint appearance on “The Steve Allen Show.” Their relationship ignited widespread public fascination. That was particularly the case after a Chicago newspaper columnist jumped the gun by suggesting an imminent Park-Sanger marriage in 1958. Novak vehemently denies any sex with Davis Jr. Davis Jr. would eventually marry singer Loray White, but their marriage would last less than a year.
Novak condemned Sweeney’s flesh-and-blood rendition, claiming, “She had no right to portray me at all.” He mentioned that Sweeney “protrudes so much above the waist.” What frightens her about the casting is that it could lose sight of and overlook their emotional connection for flashier, surface details.
Color Purple and Zola star Colman Domingo is attached to direct Scandalous for Miramax. The project was initially reported last October. Novak’s lamentations come just as Sweeney is coming into her own. She’s receiving praise for her roles in a bevy of recent films and streaming shows. Sweeney thinks her story is more relevant than ever today. She was an outspoken critic of Hollywood double standards as she faced relentless attacks on her private life, relationship choices and even efforts to control her public persona.
Even late in her career, Kim Novak authored deep, personal connections. She married the actor Richard Johnson in 1965, later marrying the veterinarian Robert Malloy in 1976. The couple stayed together until Malloy’s death in 2021. Novak’s experiences in Hollywood echo a larger story of white female actors, scrambling to maintain their carefully curated public images under machine-gun-like scrutiny.
