Ben Foster, who stars alongside Sydney Sweeney in the upcoming sports biographical drama Christy, believes the actor is managing her rapidly rising fame with striking maturity. Sweeney plays celebrated boxer Christy Martin in the film, while Foster appears as James V Martin, her coach who later became her husband.
Speaking to The Independent, Foster praised Sweeney’s discipline and work ethic, recalling how she remained focused and energetic long after the day’s shoot ended. “Sydney is her own force,” he said. “She came in extremely prepared, knew the crew’s names, and was always ready to work. I’d be knackered at the end of the day, and she’d go train for another three hours to fight the next morning.”
He added that her ability to stay grounded despite the global attention she commands is rare. “She is in a zeitgeist worldview that is unique. And I think she’s handling it incredibly well. She’s a powerhouse.”
Foster also admitted he admires the way Sweeney navigates social media, something he intentionally avoids. “I’m not on any social media at all. And have never been,” he said, noting that his team knows better than to nudge him toward it. “But she plays in that field. It’s so important to this generation, to the future. I find her incredibly impressive.”
Sweeney, meanwhile, has spoken about personal challenges that helped her connect deeply to her role. In a conversation with Sky News, the actor shared that asking for help doesn’t come easily to her. “I have a really hard time with asking for help,” she said. “My friends recently have pointed that out to me… There’s nothing wrong with it, but I have a hard time with it.”
She reflected on the broader pressures she feels, especially as a woman in the industry. “There are so many expectations on us to have it all together,” she said. “If we do ask for help, then it’s a sign of weakness. And we don’t want to be viewed that way. Even though a man can ask for it and no one thinks he’s weak. But if a woman director asks for help, it’d be like, ‘Oh, she’s not prepared for this role.’”
