Sydney Sweeney’s Power Punch: TIFF Premiere of Christy Breaks Her Heart and the Theatre

5 September 2025

Sydney Sweeney on Sept. 5. Credit : Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP

At the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, Sydney Sweeney delivered what may be the most emotionally charged performance of her career in Christy, her red-hot biopic about legendary boxer Christy Martin. By the time she stepped onstage after the screening, the applause had grown thunderous, rising from a standing ovation that left her visibly moved and tearful alongside the woman who inspired the story herself.

Stepping onto that stage meant reliving a transformation few could imagine. Sweeney, 27, embodied Christy Martin with fierce dedication gaining over 30 pounds, slipping into brown contacts, and wearing a dark wig all to disappear into the boxer’s life of glory, pain, resilience, and identity.

Moments earlier, she dazzled the TIFF audience in a custom pale pink Erdem gown. The cinched corset bodice and floor-length skirt, punctuated by a subtle red bow at the hip, echoed the fighting spirit of her role grace under pressure, poise after hard work. Styled with soft Old Hollywood waves and glowing makeup, her look mirrored the emotional complexity of the character she portrayed.

Throughout the evening, the spotlight wasn’t divided between her glamour and her craft, it danced between both. In a quiet moment, she thanked Christy Martin herself, who was present and whose real-life strength anchored the narrative. “Having Martin on set was a dream and also scary,” Sweeney later acknowledged, revealing the weight of honoring a living legend whose struggles were woven into the screenplay.

Familiar with controversy, Sweeney declined to entertain questions about her divisive American Eagle jeans campaign. “I am not there to talk about jeans,” she told reporters. Instead, she remained laser-focused on her film and the woman at its center. This clear boundary underscored the seriousness of her moment in Toronto it was a return to storytelling, not headlines.

The reaction from critics and festival-goers has been electric. Many praised Christy for its emotional depth and complexity, while pushing Sweeney’s profile into so-called Oscar buzz territory. The film’s raw look at fame, abuse, and identity breaks the mold of typical sports biopics, weaving in themes of femininity and internal homophobia.

This TIFF screening marks more than a world premiere it is a turning point in Sweeney’s career. Known for roles on Euphoria and in films like Americana and Eden, this powerful dramatic leap signals a new creative chapter. Christy is now the cornerstone of that evolution.