Sydney Sweeney is an actor in demand, but you may not recognize her in her next role.
Photos have circulated online showing Sweeney’s transformation into the illustrious female boxer Christy Martin, in a look that is far from her other roles.
So far fans have seen her in teen drama Euphoria, romantic comedy Anyone But You and comedy drama The White Lotus.
But she has traded in her usual glamorous red carpet glitz for a grittier and much darker role.
Portraying the infamous Martin, who now goes by her maiden name Salters, won’t be easy.
Being known as the one who paved the way for female fighters – becoming a world champion, the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, getting inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, is just a sliver of Salters’ story.
Not to mention the night Salters stole the spotlight away from Mike Tyson in 1996, when she competed on his undercard against Deirdre Gogarty, in a fight that Sports Illustrated claimed to have “more action and better boxing” than Tyson’s fight with Frank Bruno.
Again, just a sliver of Salters’ story, as her life outside of the ring was marred by tragedy and devastation.
Salters suffered years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her former husband, James Martin, which reached a boiling point in 2010.
On November 23, in their home in Apopka, Florida, the disturbed husband stabbed and shot his wife multiple times, leaving her for dead.
Miraculously, Salters survived and Martin was convicted for attempted second-degree murder and found guilty of all three counts against him, facing up to life in prison.
After learning of the photos that were leaked, the 27-year-old posted some behind the scenes pictures. The blond locks have been replaced by Martin’s dark curls, while she has also shown the definition in her arms by flexing her bulging biceps as a result of her work in the gym.
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She wrote: “Well the cats out of the bag thanks to some paps in bushes so here’s a little bts from the film I’m working on right now.
“Over the past few months, I’ve been immersed in training to bring to life the story of an incredible woman — a true champion who fought battles both inside and outside the ring.
“Her journey is a testament to resilience, strength, and hope, and I’m honored to step into her shoes to share her powerful story with you all. more to come soon.”
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And while she knows the story of Salters goes far beyond the ring, Sweeney is still excited to put the gloves back on.
She is no stranger to the ring.
“I grappled and did kickboxing from 12-19 years old,” Sweeney told Deadline after she was announced for the role.
“I’ve been itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform my body.”
Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding, there’s a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself.”
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This will look to be one of, if not the biggest challenge of a role that Sweeney has taken on.
The film will portray Salters’ life growing up in a family of coal miners in a small town of West Virginia, that will take on a lot of emotional weight.
Director of the film, David Michôd, has said that the movie is going to go far beyond just the world of sports.
“It’s about more than boxing-it’s about survival, identity, and resilience,” Martin said.
“This movie will be something fathers watch with their daughters, making them aware of domestic violence.”
Not only is Sweeney’s appearance unrecognizable, she is sure to deliver a performance that most fans of hers aren’t used to seeing.