How Sydney Sweeney gained 30 pounds?
To fully embody the role of a fighter both in and out of the ring, Sweeney underwent a gruelling physical prep. She revealed that she gained 30 pounds for the part, not through fancy shortcuts but with an intense mix of calorie-dense foods and non-stop training. “I was constantly eating,” she shared in a TIFF interview.
During the conversation, she shared that her diet included Smuckers, a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, milkshakes, protein shakes, and anything high in calories. Her activity level was so high that burning it all off wasn’t even a concern.
She worked closely with a nutritionist, a weight trainer, and a boxing coach to ensure she could safely put on weight while building muscle. In fact, most of the boxing sequences were shot over just one intense week. Sweeney was on set for 12 hours a day and still trained for two more hours after wrapping, pushing her body to its limits.
One scene, which recreated a famous real-life fight between Christy Martin and Laila Ali, left Sweeney with a full black eye and serious bruises. “They were holding ice packs to my face between takes,” she said. The physical toll was real, but it helped her tap into the pain and strength of her character, a woman celebrated in the ring but suffering behind closed doors due to domestic abuse from her husband, played by Ben Foster.
More about the movie Christy
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 5 and received a standing ovation. It’s already generating Oscar buzz, with many calling this Sweeney’s most powerful performance to date.
Director David Michôd, who previously worked on The King, said casting Sweeney was an easy decision after watching her in HBO’s Reality. “I knew she was already a fighter,” he said. Christy is set for release on November 7 and could be a defining moment in Sydney Sweeney’s rising career.