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Key Points Sydney Sweeney defended 'Christy' after its disappointing box office performance. She emphasized the film's themes of survival, courage and hope for domestic violence victims. Sweeney insisted art's impact matters more than ticket sales or public controversies. Sydney Sweeney is standing by her new movie, Christy, after its lackluster box office results for opening weekend. “I am so deeply proud of this movie,” the actress, 28, wrote via Instagram on Monday, November 10. “Proud of the film [director] David [Michôd] made. Proud of the story we told. Proud to represent someone as strong and resilient as Christy Martin. This experience has been one of the greatest honors of my life.” Sweeney then pointed to the important themes of the biopic, which centers around Martin’s experience as a professional boxer and domestic violence survivor. “This film stands for survival, courage and hope,” she continued. “Through our campaigns, we’ve helped raise awareness for so many affected by domestic violence. We all signed on to this film with the belief that Christy’s story could save lives.” 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Sweeney went on to express her gratitude to fans who valued the film’s message over its box office earnings. “Thank you to everyone who saw, felt and believed and will believe in this story for years to come,” she concluded. “If Christy gave even one woman the courage to take her first step toward safety, then we will have succeeded. 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. Thank you Christy. I love you.” Christy debuted in theaters on Friday, November 7, raking in $1.3 million at the domestic box office over the weekend. The film ranks among the top 12 worst openings for a new release on more than 2,000 screens, according to Box Office Mojo. Christy fell to No. 11 overall in theaters behind films such as Predator: Badlands, Regretting You, The Black Phone 2 and Die My Love. Christy is the third Sweeney film of the year to open to disappointing numbers, with Eden earning approximately $1 million and Americana drawing an estimated $500,000 when both were released in theaters in August. Sweeney’s string of box office misses comes after her controversial American Eagle jeans campaign made headlines in July, with some accusing the ad of promoting genetic superiority. Earlier this month, Sweeney addressed the possibility of moviegoers boycotting her films because of the ordeal. “If somebody is closed off — because of something they read online — to a powerful story like Christy, then I hope that something else can open their eyes to being open to art and being open to learning,” she told GQ in an interview published on Tuesday, November 4. “I’m not going to be affected by that.”
