Actor Ruby Rose is calling out Sydney Sweeney following the disastrous box office debut of Christy, the biopic about lesbian boxing legend Christy Martin.
The sports drama, which stars Sweeney as the groundbreaking fighter, earned just $1.3 million domestically in its opening weekend, landing it among the 12 worst openings for a film released on more than 2,000 screens, according to Box Office Mojo.
In a now-viral post on Threads, Rose accused Sweeney of being the wrong choice to portray the trailblazing lesbian athlete and blamed her for the film’s commercial failure.
“The original Christy Martin script was incredible. Life changing,” Rose wrote Tuesday. “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.”
Rose, who is openly lesbian and best known for her work in Batwoman and Orange Is the New Black, went on to criticize the project’s publicity campaign and Sweeney’s involvement.
“Losing roles happens all the time,” she continued. “But for her PR to talk about it flopping and say [Sweeney] 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.”
Representatives for Sweeney and the film have not responded to requests for comment.
Sweeney Responds to the Backlash
Sweeney addressed the movie’s disappointing performance a day earlier, taking to Instagram to defend the film and its message.
“This experience has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” she wrote Monday. “This film stands for survival, courage, and hope. Through our campaigns, we’ve helped raise awareness for those affected by domestic violence. If Christy gave even one woman the courage to take her first step toward safety, then we will have succeeded.”
Sweeney concluded by saying she was “deeply proud” of the project, regardless of its box office numbers.
The Film’s Story and Legacy
Christy traces Martin’s rise as one of the most celebrated female boxers of the 1990s and explores her survival after years of domestic abuse. In 1991, Martin married her trainer, Jim Martin, who later attempted to kill her in their home. He was convicted of attempted murder in 2012.
Now remarried to former boxing rival Lisa Holewyne, Martin has been open about her identity as a lesbian and her advocacy for survivors of abuse.
Despite Rose’s criticism, Martin herself has been vocal in her praise for Sweeney. During the film’s Toronto International Film Festival premiere in September, Martin told audiences she admired the actor’s transformation.
“She got to be this totally different person that none of you expected,” Martin said. “She wasn’t the beautiful, sexy Sydney. She was the tough, rugged Christy in this movie. And I think it’s awesome. She kicks ass!”
Context Behind the Controversy
Sweeney’s portrayal has stirred additional scrutiny given her recent public image challenges. Over the summer, she faced backlash for an American Eagle ad campaign that played on the words “jeans” and “genes,” which some critics accused of invoking racist eugenics language.
While conservative figures, including Megyn Kelly and Donald Trump, publicly defended Sweeney, others questioned her silence on the controversy. When asked about it by GQ earlier this month, the Euphoria star said only, “When I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.”
Reports also surfaced in August revealing Sweeney’s Republican Party voter registration, which further divided her fanbase and prompted criticism from members of the LGBTQ+ community, who accused her of hypocrisy while taking on queer-centered roles.
A Question of Representation
Rose’s remarks touch on a growing debate in Hollywood about authenticity and representation, particularly when it comes to queer stories. The actor’s frustration echoes ongoing conversations about whether LGBTQ+ roles should be reserved for LGBTQ+ performers, especially when portraying figures whose sexuality is central to their identity.
While Christy continues its limited theatrical run, the controversy surrounding its casting and marketing may overshadow the story it sought to tell: one of resilience, visibility, and survival in, and outside, the ring.
