Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney has opened up about the immense pressure women face to maintain perfection, revealing she struggles profoundly with asking for help as it's often perceived as a 'sign of weakness'.
The American actress made these candid remarks during an interview with Sky News' entertainment correspondent Debbie Ridgard, discussing her powerful new biographical film, Christy.
The Personal Struggle Mirrors the Professional
Sweeney confessed that her personal challenges directly mirror those of the character she portrays. 'I have a really hard time with asking for help,' she revealed, noting that friends have recently confronted her about this tendency.
The actress elaborated on the gendered expectations that create this dynamic, stating: 'I think it's hard, especially as a woman, there's so many expectations on us to have it all together.'
She highlighted the frustrating double standard, explaining that while men can request assistance without judgment, women face criticism. 'If a woman director asks for help, it'd be like, 'oh, she's not prepared for this role.''
Christy Martin's Harrowing True Story
The film Christy chronicles the remarkable life of Christy Martin, who made history in October 1993 by becoming the first woman signed by legendary boxing promoter Don King.
Known throughout her career as 'The Coal Miner's Daughter', Martin's boxing achievements were extraordinary. She secured the WBC female super welterweight title in 2009 and later earned induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
However, the film also explores the darker aspects of Martin's life, including her experience as a closeted gay woman and the domestic violence and coercive control she endured from her husband and coach, James 'Jim' Martin.
The couple's relationship began when Martin was just 22 and Jim was 47, with marriage following a year later in the late 1980s.
A Violent Turning Point and Cinematic Tribute
Martin's private struggles became horrifyingly public in November 2010 when her husband stabbed and shot her in their bedroom, leaving her for dead.
In a miraculous turn of events, Jim Martin took a shower after the attack, allowing the severely injured boxer to escape and flag down a passing vehicle for help.
Justice was served in 2012 when Jim Martin was convicted of attempted second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He died in custody on 26th November 2024.
Film director David Michôd, who co-wrote the biopic with his wife Mirrah Foulkes, confirmed that the pressure women face is pervasive in the industry. He noted that his wife frequently experienced the same dynamic Sweeney described, where any admission of uncertainty is interpreted as unpreparedness.
Michôd described meeting the real Christy Martin just three weeks before filming began as 'a wonderful experience', noting her surprising sweetness despite her fighting background and traumatic experiences.
Despite the film's modest US box office opening of just $1.3 million - ranking as the 9th worst opening for a film shown in over 2,000 North American theatres - Sweeney has defended the project's value.
'We don't always just make art for numbers, we make it for impact,' the actress stated previously.
Christy arrives in UK and Irish cinemas on 28 November.
