Photo Credit: Getty Images
Sydney Sweeney has responded to criticism after her new biopic Christy suffered a dismal opening weekend at the box office.
The Euphoria star, 28, took to Instagram on Monday to share an impassioned message following the film's poor performance. The sports drama, which sees Sweeney portray boxing legend Christy Martin, grossed just $1.3 million across 2,011 theaters, averaging only $649 per venue, ranking among the lowest wide releases in recent years, according to The Wrap.
"I am so deeply proud of this movie. Proud of the film David made. Proud of the story we told," Sweeney wrote, calling the project "one of the greatest honors" of her life. "This film stands for survival, courage, and hope. If Christy gave even one woman the courage to take her first step toward safety, then we've succeeded. We don't make art for numbers, we make it for impact."
The actress, who has faced months of public scrutiny over her political views and a controversial American Eagle campaign, added that Christy had been the most "impactful project" of her career.
Directed by David O. Russell, the film follows Martin's rise from small-town fighter to world champion and her battles with domestic abuse. During promotion, Sweeney revealed she performed her fight scenes without doubles, sustaining real injuries, including a concussion. "We were actually hitting each other. We were knocking each other out," she told The Sun.
Despite its weak commercial showing, critics have praised Sweeney's commitment to the role, noting her physical transformation and emotional depth.
Christy Martin, nicknamed The Coalminer's Daughter, became the first woman signed by Don King and the only female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Her record stands at 49-7-3, with 31 knockouts.
Sharing photos with the real Christy Martin, Sweeney thanked the boxer for inspiring "a generation of women to fight back."
"This story was painful, joyful, resilient, beautiful," she wrote. "It was everything."
