sd. Sydney Sweeney’s new movie Christy bombs as GQ interview goes viral – for the wrong reasons
Sydney Sweeney Faces Box Office Flop and Viral Backlash Amid Controversial GQ Interview
If you thought your week was rough, imagine what it’s like for Sydney Sweeney. The Euphoria star’s latest project, the biopic Christy, has stumbled at the US box office, while a recent interview with GQ has sparked widespread online mockery.
Christy chronicles the life of lesbian boxing legend Christy Martin, tracing her journey from a closeted West Virginia teen to super-middleweight champion, as well as her complex relationship with coach and husband Jim Martin (played by Ben Foster).
Despite its high-profile cast, the film opened to disappointing numbers, grossing just $1.3 million (£998,000) in the US. According to Box Office Mojo, it ranks among the worst openings for a release on over 2,000 screens. Critics have been mixed: the film holds a 67% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, with 92 positive and 46 negative reviews.
Adding to the storm, Sweeney’s earlier controversy with an American Eagle ad resurfaced. In July, Sweeney featured in a campaign with the tagline: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” The line triggered backlash over alleged racial undertones and eugenics references, a conversation that later involved high-profile political figures.
In her GQ interview, Sweeney addressed the topic in a notably nonchalant way. Asked if she was surprised by the reaction, she replied, “I did a jean ad. The reaction definitely was a surprise but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m in jeans and a t-shirt every day of my life.”
When prompted to discuss the controversy more directly, she added, “When I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.” The interview’s wooden delivery and apparent indifference quickly went viral, inspiring parody clips on TikTok and sparking memes mocking Sweeney’s handling of the situation.
Even White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood joined the conversation, leaving a vomiting emoji on a YouTube clip of the interview.
Christy premiered in the US last week and is set to hit UK cinemas on 28 November. For Sweeney, it’s shaping up to be a week — and possibly a few months — she won’t soon forget.
