Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster and more join the Sydney Sweeney-led biopic

Emmy nominee Ben Foster (“Hell or High Water,” “The Survivor”), Emmy winner Merritt Wever (“Nurse Jackie,” “Unbelievable”), Katy O’Brian (“Love Lies Bleeding,” “Twisters”) , Ethan Embry (“Sweet Home Alabama,” Grace and Frankie), Jess Gabor (Shameless, Three Women) and Chad L. Coleman (The Wire, The Walking Dead) have joined the cast of the upcoming Sydney Sweeney-led feature film Boxer Christy Martin.

Martin is primarily considered the most successful female boxer of the 1990s. She later became welterweight champion and remains the only female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. She was physically abused by her husband Jim Martin, who was also her boxing trainer and manager. He was later charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Christy’s life was previously portrayed on screen in the episode “Deal with the Devil” of the anthology documentary series Untold.

The untitled film is directed by David Michôd and written by Mirrah Foulkes and Michôd. Production began Monday in North Carolina.

The film is produced and fully financed by Kerry Kohansky-Roberts for Anonymous Content, David Michôd for Yoki, Inc., Justin Lothrop and Brent Boots for Votiv, Sweeney for Fifty-Fifty Films and Teddy Schwarzman for Black Bear. Executive producers include Michael Heimler and John Friedberg for Black Bear, Foulkes, Brad Zimmerman for Yoki, Inc., David Levine, Ryan Schwartz and Nick Shumaker for Anonymous Content, and Harrison Huffman.

Black Bear will manage international rights for the film, while UTA Independent Film Group, AC Independent (Anonymous Content’s distribution and finance arm) and Black Bear will jointly represent U.S. rights. This project marks the second collaboration between Sweeney and Black Bear, who recently collaborated on Immaculate.

This film tells “the incredible true story of the formidable Christy Martin, who rose to fame as America’s most successful female boxer in the 1990s. A naturally gifted fighter, her life changed in 1989 when she met her manager and future husband, Jim Martin. She broke boundaries and was the first woman to sign with legendary promoter Don King and the only female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Christy’s charisma, good looks and unwavering resilience in the ring earned her a large following and made her the welterweight champion of the world. Behind this cultured public persona, Christy battled personal demons, toxic relationships and an attempt on her life, proving that a fighter’s toughest victories are not always won in the ring,” the film’s logline reads.