Reuters: American actress Sydney Sweeney transformed into former professional boxer Christy Martin for the biopic “Christy”, which chronicles her life in and outside the ring.
Directed and co-written by David Michod, the film tracks two decades of Martin’s life. During that time, she stumbled into the sport and, by virtue of her raw talent, turned into one of the most successful female boxers of the 1990s.
The film also portrays her relationship with her coach-turned-husband Jim Martin, played by Ben Foster, who takes control of her career and her life, with harrowing consequences.
Martin went on to found “Christy’s Champs”, a non-profit supporting family abuse victims, and telling her story came with responsibility.
“Honestly, it’s a really heavy weight to carry,” she said. “I feel the importance of her story and what it means to other people. And she’s such a huge advocate, and she inspires me to also be an advocate as well.”
Known for her aggressive fighting style and powerful punches, Martin, now 57, was the first woman to sign with boxing promoter Don King and competed from 1989 to 2012.
“I put on 35 pounds (around 16 kg) and it was definitely a very intense physical transformation. But I felt so strong.”
The movie celebrates Martin’s boxing achievements and also touches on themes of domestic violence and sexual identity.
“Christy” begins its global cinematic rollout on Nov 7.
