Sydney Sweeney is one of Hollywood’s most promising young actors, but lately, things have not been looking good for the Euphoria star. Not only is she constantly surrounded by controversy, but her latest box-office performances have been disappointing, to put it simply.
Sweeney recently starred in and as Christy, a biographical sports film based on the life of former professional boxer Christy Martin. Despite the hype surrounding the film, Christy had one of the worst openings in box-office history.
In its opening weekend, Christy grossed a mere $1.3 million domestically (via Forbes). It opened in 2,184 theaters nationwide, averaging $646 per theater. This marks the ninth-worst opening for a movie released in over 2,000 theaters, behind films like Hitpig and The King’s Daughter.
Let’s take a look at how Sweeney’s last five theatrical releases have done, box office-wise (via The Numbers):
Sweeney will soon be seen as Millie Calloway in The Housemaid. Do you think this is what she needs to break her box office curse?
Sydney Sweeney Claps Back After Christy’s Box Office Failure
There was a huge hype surrounding her latest film, especially given Sweeney’s drastic transformation for the role. Everyone was excited to see the actress in a completely different role, but alas, fate had other plans.
After its opening-weekend disappointment, Sweeney took to Instagram to talk about how proud she is of the film, adding that the box office numbers for Christy do not matter to her. She wrote,
I am so deeply proud of this movie. Proud of the film David [Michôd] made. Proud of the story we told. Proud to represent someone as strong and resilient as Christy Martin.
Calling it “one of the greatest honors of her life,” Sweeney added,
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.
A post shared by Sydney Sweeney (@sydney_sweeney)
As for the critics, they have some criticism for the film’s tone, emotional impact, and storytelling. On the other hand, everyone seems to be impressed by Sweeney’s transformative performance. Christy was once creating major Oscar buzz, but looking at how things have turned out, will Sweeney get her golden trophy at the age of 28?
Are Sydney Sweeney’s Controversies Hurting Her Box Office?
Boycotting someone for their actions and views has become much easier these days. Could Sweeney’s many controversies be the reason behind her box office failures? It is a possibility. From her bathwater soap to an alleged MAGA-themed birthday celebration, the young actress has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons lately.
The controversy that sparked the most outrage, though, was her ad campaign for American Eagle, where Sweeney, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman, was portrayed as someone with “great jeans“. Given her appearance, viewers claimed the ad was about “genes” rather than “jeans,” promoting eugenics.
She did address the backlash in an interview with GQ, stating,
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…I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was great jeans.
Then there is her relationship with Scooter Braun, one of Hollywood’s most controversial figures. Read more about Sweeney’s controversies, which may be why Zendaya is reportedly refusing to promote Euphoria with her.
What are your thoughts on Sweeney’s recent box office performance? Drop your two cents in the comments section below!
Christy is currently playing in theaters.
