The controversy surrounding the Sydney Sweeney boxing biopic controversy escalated as Ruby Rose launched strong accusations against Sweeney after the film “Christy” underperformed at the box office. This dispute surfaced after the film, which tells the story of female boxer Christy Martin, faced a poor opening weekend, provoking heated reactions in celebrity circles.
Ruby Rose Speaks Out After Departing the Project
“Christy,” directed by David Michôd, opened to just $1.3 million against its reported $15 million budget, showing on 2,000 screens and representing indie producer Black Bear’s first distribution effort. Ruby Rose, previously attached to portray the character Cherry, revealed that changes to the script and casting decisions led to her exit from the project.
“The original Christy Martin script was incredible. Life changing. I was attached to play Cherry. Everyone had experience with the core material. Most of us were actually gay. It’s part of why I stayed in acting. Losing roles happens all the time,”
Rose claims on Threads. — Ruby Rose, Actor
Shortly after, Rose criticized Sydney Sweeney directly, calling her a “cretin” and alleging that Sweeney did not support the LGBTQ+ community. Rose criticized the film’s public relations messaging and Sweeney’s involvement, stating:
“For her PR to talk about it flopping and saying SS did it for the ‘people’. None of ‘the people’ want to see someone who hates them, parading around pretending to be us. You’re a cretin and you ruined the film. Period. Christy deserved better,”
Rose continued. — Ruby Rose, Actor
Rose Issues Apology for Language, Not for Accusations
After her inflammatory comments, Rose apologized for using the word “cretin,” acknowledging after feedback that the term is considered ableist due to its medical history. However, Rose remained firm in her criticism of Sweeney’s casting and the film’s direction.
“Cretin is an ableist term? I though it meant creature in old English. I regret writing that and should have just said psychopath,”
Rose wrote in a follow-up post. — Ruby Rose, Actor
Sydney Sweeney Responds with Positivity and Gratitude
In contrast to Rose’s combative statements, Sydney Sweeney shared on social media that she remains proud of her performance and the film’s purpose, choosing not to respond to personal attacks.
“I am so deeply proud of this movie.
“Proud of the film [the director David Michôd] made. proud of the story we told. proud to represent someone as strong and resilient as Christy Martin. this experience has been one of the greatest honors of my life.”
— Sydney Sweeney, Actor
“this film stands for survival, courage, and hope. through our campaigns, we’ve helped raise awareness for so many affected by domestic violence. we all signed on to this film with the belief that christy’s story could save lives.”
— Sydney Sweeney, Actor
“thank you to everyone who saw, felt, and believed and will believe in this story for years to come. if christy gave even one woman the courage to take her first step toward safety, then we will have succeeded. so yes I’m proud. why? because we don’t always just make art for numbers, we make it for impact. and christy has been the most impactful project of my life. thank you christy. i love you.”
— Sydney Sweeney, Actor
Christy Martin Defends Sweeney and the Film
Former world champion boxer Christy Martin, whose life inspired the film, came to Sweeney’s defense and addressed the ongoing social media disputes. Martin endorsed Sweeney’s dedication to the project and her commitment to the story.
“I’ve always been a fighter. My life reflected that in every way and now I fight for others. The past few days I have seen some people attack my friend Sydney Sweeney.”
— Christy Martin, Boxer
“Syd not only worked her ass off for this film, she worked her ass off for me. For my story. For so many others suffering in silence. So I want to be clear about who Syd is. She is my friend and ally!”
— Christy Martin, Boxer
What Comes Next for the Cast and the Film?
As the debate over the Sydney Sweeney boxing biopic controversy continues, both the public and industry observers are watching for the film’s long-term impact and potential legacy. Supporters, including Christy Martin, highlight the positive message and hope the story brings to survivors of domestic violence, while the incident has sparked renewed discussion about representation and responsibility in storytelling. The focus remains not only on the box office numbers but also on the broader cultural conversation the film has ignited.
