Sydney Sweeney dedicated her Variety Power of Women honour to boxer Christy Martin at a ceremony Wednesday at The Beverly Hills Hotel, drawing attention to domestic violence awareness ahead of her starring role in the Martin biopic.
The Anyone But You star wore a crystal embellished silver Christian Cowan dress to the event, which also honoured Kate Hudson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Wanda Sykes, and Nicole Scherzinger. Sharon Stone, who will appear alongside Sweeney in the upcoming final season of Euphoria, introduced the actress before her speech.
During her remarks, Sweeney told the audience about the importance of having the power to rise and to fight and to keep believing in yourself, even when no one else does. However, the 28 year old actress quickly shifted focus to Martin, the pioneering boxer she portrays in the biographical film Christy, which arrives in theatres November 7.
Sweeney said she wanted to dedicate the honour to someone way more important and special, describing Martin as a woman who not only redefined higher sport but who struggled with domestic violence and sexual identity, and gave a voice to so many who might not have had one. Martin attended the ceremony as Sweeney’s guest.
The biographical sports drama chronicles Martin’s rise to fame during the 1990s and the 2010 attack when her then husband James Martin stabbed and shot her inside their home. Martin survived the attack and testified against her husband, who was convicted of attempted murder.
Sweeney recently told Variety that the domestic violence storyline is very personal to her, though she did not elaborate on her connection to the issue. The actress said Martin became her best friend during filming, describing having her on set as a really powerful experience.
Ben Foster portrays James Martin in the film, with supporting roles from Merritt Wever and Katy O’Brian. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September to strong early reviews, particularly for Sweeney’s performance.
Martin, now 57, is chief executive of Christy Martin Promotions and works as a public speaker advocating for domestic violence victims and LGBTQ causes. She married former opponent Lisa Holewyne in 2017.
