Sydney Sweeney to star as legendary female boxer Christy Martin in upcoming biopic
“Anyone But You” star Sydney Sweeney has a new gig lined up, starring as Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic.
Sydney Sweeney is getting in the ring.
The “Anyone But You” actress is set to star as legendary boxer Christy Martin in a new biopic, Black Bear Pictures announced in a press release Wednesday. Sweeney also shared the new role on Instagram, writing Wednesday that she is “honored to tell Christy’s powerful story.”
The movie “tells the unbelievable true story of formidable Christy Martin, who rose to fame as America’s most successful female boxer in the 1990s,” Black Bear said in the release. The biopic is set to be directed by David Michôd, writer and director of “The King” and “Animal Kingdom.”
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Martin was the first woman signed to a promotional contract by boxing promoter Don King. The first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, she competed from 1989 to the mid-2010s and held the World Boxing Council female super welterweight title in 2009.
Martin was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020.
Her life was also affected by tragedy. In 2010, Martin was stabbed, shot and left for dead by her then-husband of 19 years, James Martin. He was found guilty of attempted second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison nearly two years later.
In 2017, Christy Martin remarried, to former boxing rival Lisa Holewyne.
“Christy tackled personal demons, toxic relationships, and an attempt on her life, proving that a fighter’s hardest won victories aren’t always in the ring,” Black Bear said.
Sweeney, who is named as a producer for the biopic with Fifty-Fifty Films, is coming off the success of rom-com “Anyone But You” alongside Glen Powell and horror flick “Immaculate.”
The “Euphoria” star will likely continue to take on more projects as filming for the hit HBO teen drama continues to be delayed.
Glen Powell admits Sydney Sweeney affair rumors ‘worked wonderfully’ for ‘Anyone But You’
In a statement provided to USA TODAY in March, HBO said it’s permitting the cast of “Euphoria” to pursue other acting jobs amid the long wait for Season 3, implying filming is not imminent after all.
“HBO and (creator) Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season,” a spokesperson for the network said. “In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities.”
Contributing: Brendan Morrow
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sydney Sweeney to star as legendary female boxer Christy Martin in upcoming biopic