Actress Ruby Rose Criticizes Sydney Sweeney, Claiming the MAGA Favorite’s Politics Ruined ‘Christy’ Biopic

Sweeney acknowledges that being a Republican is dominating public perception of her, particularly after her American Eagle jeans campaign drew accusations of racism.

Via American Eagle
American Eagle's advertising campaign titled 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.' Via American Eagle

Actor Ruby Rose has come out swinging against current it-girl Sydney Sweeney for her current role in a biopic about boxer Christy Martin, claiming that her political beliefs as a registered Republican led to a dismal turnout at theaters.

The “Orange Is the New Black” star, 39, took to Threads Monday night to blast the 28-year-old Euphoria actress over her starring role in “Christy” which chronicles the prizefighter and domestic abuse survivor’s life. 

The film’s dismal weekend debut — one of the worst domestic openings ever for a wide release — sparked fierce debate, culminating in Ms. Rose’s incendiary political attack on the actress.

Ms. Rose claimed she was originally cast as Christy — whom she calls “Cherry” — and alleged the initial production team was nearly entirely queer before accusing Sydney of hating gay people.

Ruby Rose attends the opening night of “2:22 — A Ghost Story” on July 28, 2023 at Melbourne, Australia. Sam Tabone/Getty Images

“The original Christy Martin script was incredible. Life changing. I was attached to play Cherry. Everyone had experience with the core material. Most of us were actually gay. It’s part of why I stayed in acting. Losing roles happens all the time,” she said in a post on Threads.

“For her PR to talk about it flopping and saying SS did it for the ‘people’.  None of ‘the people’ want to see someone who hates them, parading around pretending to be us. You’re a cretin and you ruined the film. Period. Christy deserved better.”

Ms. Rose’s claims that Ms. Sweeney is anti-gay appears to be conjecture as the actress has never publicly made negative statements towards the gay community.

Ms. Rose’s diatribe against Ms. Sweeney is just the latest in mounting criticism from left-leaning celebrities since her Republican voter registration became public — scrutiny that intensified amid recent commercial backlash.

She has acknowledged that her political affiliation now dominates public perception of her, particularly after her Saturday Night Live hosting gig ignited a firestorm of debate.

The controversies peaked earlier this year after she appeared in an American Eagle jeans campaign that drew accusations of racism over a wordplay connecting “jeans” and “genes.”

The biopic chronicles Ms. Martin’s meteoric rise as America’s most famous female boxer in the 1990s, her coach-turned-husband’s brutal 2010 attempt on her life, and her struggle with her sexuality.

After surviving the attack — her husband received 25 years for attempted second-degree murder—Ms. Martin married former rival Lisa Holewyne in 2017 and became a prominent advocate for domestic violence survivors.

The boxer — who earned 49 victories in the ring — has firmly backed Ms. Sweeney, appearing alongside her throughout the film’s promotional tour and undercutting Ms. Rose’s claim.

Ms. Sweeney has not directly responded to Ms. Rose’s comments but said on social media that she was proud of the film despite how it fared at the box office.

“Proud to represent someone as strong and resilient as Christy Martin. this experience has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” she said in a post on Instagram. “This film stands for survival, courage, and hope. 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.”


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use