The Real Christy Martin Did Not Hold Back After Ruby Rose Took Shots At Sydney Sweeney: ‘I Want To Be Clear About Who Syd Is’

Sydney Sweeney in a hawaiian shirt in Christy Martin biopic
(Image credit: Black Bear Pictures)

In the days after Christy’s release on the 2025 movie schedule, it didn’t seemingly do so great at the box office. However, Sydney Sweeney made it clear just how much she cares about the movie (and the finances aren't as dire as some are making it seem). Regardless, there's seemingly been more talk about the flick than movie tickets sold, and Ruby Rose sparked more debate when she made some blunt comments. Following that criticism, the real Christy Martin has spoken out.

Outspoken actress Ruby Rose shocked the internet earlier this week when she got candid about feeling Sydney Sweeney did not deserve the Christy Martin role. In a lengthy post on Threads, she implied people did not get out to see Christy because it did not have an LGBTQ+ lead like Martin herself, stating she feels Sydney Sweeney "ruined" the film, amongst other bold claims.

After the comments spread around the Internet, Christy Martin took to Instagram to defend Ms. Sweeney. She did not specifically name Rose in her post. However, she did say that she has “seen some people attack my friend Sydney Sweeney.” She went on to praise the actress for her work on the film and how she treated her story, writing:

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. 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!

This post also comes after Christy was cited as a flop. It brought in $1.3 million during its opening weekend at the domestic box office, which isn’t a great number. However, this movie was reportedly made on a budget that falls in the range of $30 to $40 million, which means it didn’t cost a fortune to create, and, thanks to international sales, it has apparently already recouped its costs.

Sydney Sweeney herself took to Instagram to write about Christy and how proud she is of it. Part of her statement read:

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.

Both Sweeney and Martin have made their adoration for each other and this project very clear. The actress and boxer have also been doing press together, and they have attended premieres for Christy and other events together, too.

When it comes to the audience’s response to this movie, Christy has garnered mixed reviews; however, the actress’s performance has been praised by many critics, but it's also clear that some people are not happy about the movie as a whole.

Honestly, Sydney Sweeney is no stranger to controversy. There have been many conversations about her body and relationships, and earlier this year, she was part of an American Eagle jeans campaign that garnered backlash in a way that seemed like a surprise to both the company and the actress.

When it comes to the situation with Christy, Ruby Rose has strong feelings about it and Sweeney’s casting. However, both the actress and Christy Martin herself made it very clear how much they care about this movie and taking care of the boxer’s story correctly.

Christy is currently playing in theaters.

Riley Utley
Weekend Editor

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.

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