Ruby Rose has slammed Sydney Sweeney following the disastrous box office performance of the latter’s Christy Martin biopic.
On 7 November, the David Michôd-directed film hit theatres in the United States. Starring Sweeney as the titular character, Christy chronicles the life of the titular boxer, who competed from 1989 to 2012 and held the WBC female super welterweight title in 2009.
The official synopsis reads: “Christy Martin never imagined life beyond her small town roots in West Virginia – until she discovered a knack for punching people.
“Fueled by grit, raw determination, and an unshakeable desire to win, she charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned husband, James.
“But while Christy flaunts her fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles unfold outside it – confronting family, identity, and a relationship that just might become life or death.”
In addition to Sweeney, the cast includes Ben Foster as James, Merritt Weaver as Joyce Salters, Katy O’Brian as Lisa Holewyne, Ethan Embry as John Salters, Jess Gabor as Sherry Lusk, Chad L. Coleman as Don King and Tony Cavalero as James Maloney.
While Christy has received generally favourable reviews from critics, currently holding a 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, it did not fare well at the box office, earning only $1.3 million domestically during its opening weekend.
Due to the film’s shockingly low numbers, it has become one of the worst-grossing wide-released movies in box-office history, per Box Office Mojo, joining the likes of The King’s Daughter, Scoob!, Hitpig and The Empty Man.
On 10 November, Sweeney took to Instagram to express her pride in Christy and address the film’s financial performance.
“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,” she wrote.
“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.”
However, some social media users weren’t buying Sweeney’s statement, including Rose.
In a scathing post on Threads, the Batwoman star hit out at the Euphoria star for the film’s box-office performance, while also claiming she was once tied to the film.
“The original Christy Martin script was incredible. Life-changing. 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. Losing roles happens all the time,” Rose wrote.
“For her PR to talk about it flopping and saying SS did it for the ‘people’. “None of ‘the people’ want to see someone who hates them, parading around pretending to be us.
Toward the end of her statement, Rose called Sweeney a “cretin” before adding: “You ruined the film. Period. Christy deserved better.”
Rose’s post seemingly references the array of controversies Sweeney has been at the centre of over the last few months, including the revelation of her Republican voter status and her American Eagle jean ad.
In July, the clothing brand dropped its campaign with the Anyone But You star, which featured the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” a play on “great genes.”
American Eagle also released a series of commercials, including one of Sweeney linking genetics to jeans.
“Genes are passed down from parent to offspring, often determining traits like eye color, personality, and even hair color. My jeans are blue,” she said in the video.
Following its release, American Eagle received backlash for the campaign, with an array of social media users accusing it of promoting white supremacist propaganda and eugenics language.
Sweeney also faced pushback for refusing to comment on the controversial ad, which eventually received support from conservatives and far-right political figures like Donald Trump.
After being informed about the 28-year-old’s Republican voter status, the convicted felon and US president described the commercial as “fantastic,” per The Guardian.
Following months of silence, Sweeney addressed the polarising response to the ad during an interview with GQ, published on 4 November.
“I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life,” she told the news outlet.
When asked if she had anything to say about the ad itself, Sweeney said: “I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.”
