Overview
- The world premiere in Toronto drew a thunderous standing ovation, with Sweeney tearful onstage alongside Christy Martin, who attended with her wife, Lisa Holewyne.
- Sweeney detailed an intensive regimen of three daily workouts over several months, guided by a boxing coach, weight trainers and a nutritionist, gaining more than 30 pounds for the role.
- Critics praised the performance as her most transformative to date, positioning her as a potential best actress contender as festival buzz builds.
- Directed by David Michôd, the film tracks Martin’s rise in women’s boxing and her survival of domestic abuse; her husband and former trainer Jim Martin was sentenced to 25 years and died in November 2024.
- Martin consulted on the production, Sweeney is also a producer, and Black Bear will release the film in theaters on Nov. 7 as its first in-house distribution; Sweeney declined to address questions about her American Eagle ad, keeping press focused on the movie.