Sydney Sweeney lands a knockout at TIFF with ‘Christy,’ stoking Oscar buzz

TORONTO (AP) — Sydney Sweeney came to the Toronto International Film Festival wanting to talk about her new film “Christy,” not her American Eagle ad campaign. After a rapturous response to the movie, she’s getting her wish.

The 27-year-old, Emmy-nominated actor landed immediate Oscar buzz for her performance in David Michôd’s biopic of the boxer Christy Salters Martin. For the role, Sweeney transforms into the female boxing trailblazer who emerged out of West Virginia as the “Coal Miner’s Daughter” to rise to the top of her then-nascent sport.

Following a rousing reception from the TIFF audience Friday, Sweeney stood beside Martin on the stage of the Princess of Wales Theatre, calling it the experience of her life.

“It was a dream come true, as an actor, as a person,” Sweeney said.

While Martin had a career decorated with belts and a Sports Illustrated cover, her story is defined by struggle. She was raised to deny her gay identity and instead married her trainer, Jim Martin. After years of psychological and physical abuse, he attempted to kill her in 2010, repeatedly stabbing her and shooting her. Jim Martin was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He died last November.

Sweeney’s performance alongside Ben Foster, who plays Jim Martin, was swiftly hailed as her best yet. TIFF has long been a launching pad for Oscar campaigns before, and the thunderous reception for “Christy,” and particularly Sweeney, seemed sure to add her to the awards conversation.

Regardless, “Christy” gives Sweeney the best big-screen showcase yet of her rapidly evolving career. And given that she appears throughout it in short dark hair with a more muscular build, it's also her grittiest and least glamorous performance to date.

Martin, praising Sweeney, explained how her boxing persona — bombastic, egotistical — didn’t reflect her shyness or her desire to help others. Since her near-death experience, Martin has worked to help domestic violence survivors

“I have those two parts of my personality. And I think that’s why Sydney Sweeney is doing such an awesome job,” said Martin. “She got to be this totally different person that none of you expected. She wasn’t the beautiful, sexy Sydney. She was the tough, rugged Christy.”

Going into the premiere, Sweeney deflected questions about her recent American Eagle ad campaign with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” — a pun on having “great genes.” Critics accused the ad for glorifying whiteness. The retailer has said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans.”

Ahead of the festival, Sweeney told Vanity Fair she was going to TIFF to support her movie. “I’m not there to talk about jeans,” she said. “The movie’s about Christy and that’s what I’ll be there to talk about.”

“Christy” will be released in theaters Nov. 7 by its co-producer Black Bear in the company’s first foray into distribution. Sweeney also serves as a producer on “Christy,” with Martin a consultant.

Sweeney said she trained three times a day for two to three months to prepare for the boxing scenes. She had a boxing coach, a nutritionist and weight trainers. “And a lot of Chick-fil-A,” she added. “A lot of milkshakes, a lot of protein shakes.”

“But it was incredible being able to completely embody such a powerful woman,” said Sweeney. “I felt even stronger.”

A Sydney Sweeney ad for jeans is seen at an American Eagle Outfitters, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Bellevue, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Sydney Sweeney poses for photographs as she walks red carpet at the premiere of "Christy" at the Toronto International Film Festival, in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey /The Canadian Press via AP)

Sydney Sweeney and Christy Salters pose for photographs as they walk the red carpet at the premiere of "Christy" at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey /The Canadian Press via AP)

Sydney Sweeney poses for photographs as she walks the red carpet at the premiere of "Christy" at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey /The Canadian Press via AP)

Sydney Sweeney poses for photographs as she walks the red carpet at the premiere of "Christy" at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey /The Canadian Press via AP)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday asked lawmakers to approve reforms to the oil industry that would open the doors to greater foreign investment during her first state of the union speech less than two weeks after its longtime leader was toppled by the United States.

Rodríguez, who has been under pressure by the Trump administration to fall in line with its vision for the oil-rich nation, said sales of Venezuelan oil would go to bolster crisis-stricken health services, economic development and other infrastructure projects.

She outlined a distinct vision for the future, straying from her predecessors, who have long railed against American intervention in Venezeula. “Let us not be afraid of diplomacy” with the U.S., said Rodriguez, the former vice president who must now navigate competing pressures from the Trump administration and a government loyal to former President Nicolás Maduro.

The speech, which was broadcast on a delay in Venezuela, came one day after Rodríguez said her government would continue releasing prisoners detained under Maduro in what she described as “a new political moment” since his ouster.

On Thursday, Trump met at the White House with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, whose political party is widely considered to have won 2024 elections rejected by Maduro. But in endorsing Rodríguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president since 2018, Trump has sidelined Machado.

Rodríguez, who had a call with Trump earlier this week, said Wednesday evening on state television that her government would use “every dollar” earned from oil sales to overhaul the nation’s public health care system. Hospitals and other health care facilities across the country have long been crumbling, and patients are asked to provide practically all supplies needed for their care, from syringes to surgical screws.

The acting president must walk a tightrope, balancing pressures from both Washington and top Venezuelan officials who hold sway over Venezuela's security forces and strongly oppose the U.S. Her recent public speeches reflect those tensions — vacillating from conciliatory calls for cooperation with the U.S., to defiant rants echoing the anti-imperialist rhetoric of her toppled predecessor.

American authorities have long railed against a government they describe as a “dictatorship,” while Venezuela’s government has built a powerful populist ethos sharply opposed to U.S. meddling in its affairs.

For the foreseeable future, Rodríguez's government has been effectively relieved of having to hold elections. That's because when Venezuela’s high court granted Rodríguez presidential powers on an acting basis, it cited a provision of the constitution that allows the vice president to take over for a renewable period of 90 days.

Trump enlisted Rodríguez to help secure U.S. control over Venezuela’s oil sales despite sanctioning her for human rights violations during his first term. To ensure she does his bidding, Trump threatened Rodríguez earlier this month with a “situation probably worse than Maduro.”

Maduro, who is being held in a Brooklyn jail, has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges.

Before Rodríguez’s speech on Thursday, a group of government supporters was allowed into the presidential palace, where they chanted for Maduro, who the government insists remains the country’s president. “Maduro, resist, the people are rising,” they shouted.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez makes a statement to the press at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez, center, smiles flanked by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, right, and National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez after making a statement to the press at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)