Sydney Sweeney, the 28-year-old actress known for her versatile roles, is set to host a unique “Shrek”-themed Friendsgiving party this week. While her friends prepare to go all-out in customs inspired by the fairy tale characters seen in Disney’s classic animated film, Sweeney is busy working on her own magical project. Photograph by Matt Olivier Her new/final film, “Christy,” opens in theaters this Friday Nov. 6th.
Then on November 4, Sweeney was featured on “Good Morning America.” She was just as enthusiastic when we talked about her recent deep dive into the world of boxing for her role as Christy Martin, a professional boxer. She confessed that, in preparation for the role, she had gained 35 pounds. This magic took a lot of workouts and an extreme diet full of “protein shake after protein shake.”
Sweeney’s dedication to her craft is evident. To get ready for the part, she worked out with a boxing trainer and weight trainers. In order to produce it, to realize it, she built a studio in her grandma’s shed in Idaho.
“It was so much fun though, because I grew up in Idaho with my family, and my grandma’s my neighbor, and I turned her shed into my ‘Rocky’ gym,” – Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney worked really hard to get in shape for her role. Every day she focused on strength training and she trained two to three hours a day in the ring. Her commitment speaks volumes, not just to her work ethic, but her intent to truly bring Martin’s story to life.
“I put flooring in and boxing bags, and I brought my trainers up there and had a boxing coach and a weight trainer,” – Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney had to go through intense training to play her part. On set, she had the opportunity to work in-depth with Christy Martin, which she described as “a dream come true.”
“It was so fun having her there, especially during the fighting scenes. I could hear her at the bottom of the ring going, ‘Hit her with a left hook!’” – Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney shared about her fire to continue telling Martin’s story, and why the film’s cultural importance is crucial.
“I don’t care, I want to produce this, I just want to be a part of telling her story and hopefully opening doors for other people. It is unbelievable,” – Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney’s costar Amanda Seyfried, who plays another important character, makes an interesting choice. Together, they hope to tee up attention on Martin’s historic impact on women’s boxing.
