Sydney Sweeney on playing Christy Martin and viral hot dog take

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‘I didn’t know it was such a thing until recently when I said it in an interview and people attacked me’

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Published Nov 07, 2025 • Last updated 10 hours ago • 5 minute read

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Sweeney TIFF Sydney Sweeney attends the special presentation of “Christy” at the Princess of Wales theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 5, 2025. Photo by VALERIE MACON /AFP via Getty ImagesArticle content

Sydney Sweeney is stepping into the boxing ring — and the spotlight — in Christy, a new biopic about trailblazing fighter Christy Martin. But the Euphoria star’s knockout performance isn’t the only thing sparking buzz: her recent “plain hot dog” confession has gone viral again.

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Sweeney caused a firestorm earlier this summer when she appeared in a controversial ad for American Eagle. Some people criticized the retailer for its “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign, saying that the use of “jeans” had racial undertones due to her blonde hair and blue eyes.

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Suddenly, the 28-year-old two-time Emmy nominee was in the middle of a controversy that she didn’t see coming.

Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle controversy goes viral

U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance even weighed into the fray (the former called the ad “fantastic”). Shares of American Eagle soared.

That’s the short version. Sweeney did eventually address the backlash in an interview with GQ telling the magazine that “the reaction definitely was a surprise.”

“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, it didn’t affect me one way or the other,” Sweeney said.

‘Just a couple of dodger dogs’: The hot dog post that broke the Internet

But Sweeney is about to set off another contentious debate. After appearing on Fox’s pregame coverage for the World Series last week, the actress shared snapshots to her Instagram showing her and her friend Kaylee McGregor getting ready to chow down on a hot dog.

“Just a couple of dodger dogs,” Sweeney wrote alongside the photos.

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Speaking over Zoom from Los Angeles, Sweeney wants to stick to talking about Christy. But the hot dog pics went viral. Asking how she dresses her frankfurter seems harmless enough, right? Her answer can’t possibly divide the country, can it?

“You’re going to hate me. I eat my hot dogs plain. I didn’t know it was such a thing until recently when I said it in an interview and people attacked me. I was like, ‘I can’t do anything right,’” she says, laughing as she glancingly referred to her other recent headline-making row. “I just like a plain hot dog.”

Christy Martin’s hot dog topping of choice

Martin, who joined Sweeney for the late-afternoon chat on a recent Saturday, offers up her own disputable topping preferences.

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“I’m from West Virginia. We actually eat coleslaw on our hot dogs. Chili and coleslaw,” she says with a chuckle.

Inside Sweeney’s physical and emotional transformation for ‘Christy’

For Sweeney, embodying a champion boxer in Christy serves as her most demanding role so far in a still-emerging career. Martin fought her way to the top of a male-dominated sport, but endured abuse at the hands of her homicidal ex-husband Jim (played in the film by Ben Foster). Since its rapturous premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, Sweeney’s performance has earned her raves for her unflinching portrayal of tenacity and survival.

“It’s been absolutely amazing being able to share this movie with people and seeing their reactions,” says Sweeney, who also serves as producer on the film through her Fifty-Fifty banner.

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With their debatable hot dog tastes out of the way, Martin and Sweeney, who also counts The White Lotus and Anyone but You among her credits, spoke more about breaking conventions and standing apart from the rest of the crowd.

Sydney, Christy was a trailblazer in the world of boxing. How did you relate to her story?

Christy has fought her own fights in the ring and outside of the ring, and I fight my own respective fights in a ring and outside of the ring. It’s complicated being a young woman and trying to trailblaze your own path as a woman in an industry that you don’t know how to navigate and you’re taking it day-by-day. I also related to her by just being misunderstood.

Sydney Sweeney as Christy Martin in ‘Christy.’ Photo by Allie Fredericks /Elevation Pictures

Christy, what was it like seeing your life story up on the screen?

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It was very overwhelming. But to see someone like Sydney Sweeney — the It Girl in Hollywood — portraying me and bringing my story to life and showing my struggles … hopefully we’re going to change lives. We didn’t just do this movie so she could have another role and people could learn about me. We wanted to be able to affect people with this movie.

What was it like to see Sydney’s physical transformation when you were on set?

It was special. When she was shooting the fight scenes, I would be in the back cheering her on. ‘Hey, throw the left hook. Knock her out’ … I think it was a challenge for her, but I also think she had the most fun she’s had on a set playing this character that is so unlike who she is publicly. There’s something inside this woman that wants to show people she has inner strength, not just outer strength.

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Sydney Sweeney as Christy Martin in ‘Christy.’ Photo by Elevation Pictures

Sydney, you’ve really mixed it up so far in your career. What makes you say yes to a role?

I have to be challenged by it. I have to be a little scared of it and not know the exact path. I think that if I’m challenging myself then I’m learning, and if I’m learning then I’m growing. If I’m not doing any of those things then it’s not what I want to do. Honestly, that’s my No. 1 thing. No. 2, I’m an actor. My whole job, and what I love, is being able to play all these different characters. I don’t want to just do the same thing over and over again. It’s fun being able to try out all these different lives and learn so many other things. It’s not like I’m trying to do it in any sort of manner. I just love it, so I’m just having a good time.

You didn’t just physically change your body to become Christy Martin. There’s an emotional transformation as well. What was that like?

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It was a lot. For the physical transformation, I had two-and-a-half months to train … I worked out every single day and I gained 35 pounds (of muscle). The emotional and mental shift, of course, you do that for every character. Having Christy in my corner during that process was a huge gift and very helpful because I had someone I could ask questions and turn to. She was there to be supportive. But you lose yourself a little bit to the character when you’re in it.

Christy is now playing in theatres.

mdaniell@postmedia.com