IT could have been the role to win her an Oscar and finally be taken seriously as an actress.

But despite her dedication to the role – gaining over two stone – Sydney Sweeney’s new movie Christie has flopped – and as I watched her flashing her famous smile and boobs on the promo rounds, I felt uneasy. I’ve realised something very disturbing about her famous figure and it’s time to address it.

I’ve always loved the 28-year-old actress who has a figure to rival Marilyn Monroe. And in the past, when she’s worn low-cut dresses and skimpy outfits I felt empowered and inspired.

As a curvy woman who once shared lingerie snaps online to promote body positivity, I always cheer on women who take up space and are proud of their curves.

But, I now feel uncomfortable. Sydney is a sex symbol and she has always reclaimed her sexuality in the most powerful ways, but now I fear things have gone too far for the star – and it comes after she covered up.

She is seen as a piece of meat by the public.

Her new movie Christy sees the former Euphoria star play Hall of Fame boxer Christy Martin, who as a boxer was naturally bigger than Sydney.

Christy, who had brown hair at the height of her fame, held the WBC female super welterweight title in 2009. Her career wasn’t centred around the way she looked, she often wore simple clothing like white tank tops and baggy shorts while in the ring, with her hair slick from sweat, and blood across her face.

It’s a far cry from Sydney’s sexy blonde bombshell image, but she took on the role with gusto – relishing the chance to show off her acting skills rather than her bikini body.

But as the reviews rolled in, it seemed the movie didn’t end up having the impact people had hoped, despite the initial Oscar buzz surrounding it.

Just one look on social media and it becomes evident that one reason the film tanked is because she wasn’t showing skin. Scrolling through some of the comments about it, my heart sank.

“The audience she has chosen only wants to see her with her tits out,” said one fan on X.

“Was it because she was clothed the entire time?” asked another.

A third said: “What happens when you appeal to an audience that only supports you half naked.”

And a fourth wrote: “That’s what happens when women think they matter more than their sexual appeal.”

And that is exactly why I now feel uneasy seeing the beautiful young woman showing off her figure and donning sexy outfits – because that’s all she is known and liked for.

Sydney is clearly seen as a piece of meat by the public, and only makes ‘positive’ chatter online when she’s got her boobs out and is putting on glam displays. 

If she’s not skinny and nearly naked – people don’t seem to care. As a woman and plus size advocate, the realisation was like a slap in the face.

But surely the fact we can’t see Sydney’s boobs isn’t why the film has flopped? People aren’t put off because she’s not her usual slim and beautiful self, are they?

She gained 30lbs to play the role of Christy, and even admitted that by the end of her weight gain, she “didn’t fit in any of my clothes”.

As a woman and plus size advocate, the realisation was like a slap in the face.

Speaking about the weight gain to People Magazine, Sydney said: “I had to be really strict with myself.

“When I was training, it was really hard to put on all the weight. I was eating so much food. Like, everything you could possibly imagine.” 

In the flick, Sydney can be seen covered in blood, just like how Christy was throughout her career, which is a far cry from the steamy shower tryst, toilet romp and orgasmic carousel ride her fans are used to witnessing in her work.

Donning clothing that Christy was often seen in, Sydney completely ditched her glam image and gave her all to the role.

She more than made up for it thought in recent weeks, with a series of eye catching looks – flashing her boobs entirely in one very tight sheer dress.

It’s not the first time one of her movies has done poorly at the box office.

Immaculate, which came out in 2024, grossed only $15.6 million.

In the movie, Sydney plays a nun and spends the majority of the movie covered in a habit.

Sure, there are some sexier moments throughout, but the movie is mostly modest. Could that be the reason it did badly?

Can’t people see that she’s so much more than just her body?

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Will her career only flourish when she’s leaning into her sexuality and pleasing those who view her as a sex symbol?

Speaking to Variety last month, she said: “I play a lot of very divisive characters, and I think that a lot of people think they know me, but they don’t. 

“So when people think, ‘Ah, she’s a sex symbol,’ or ‘She’s leaning into that,’ I’m like, ‘No, I just feel good and I’m doing it for myself and I feel strong.’ 

“And I hope that I can inspire other women to be confident and just flaunt what they got and feel good because you shouldn’t have to apologise or hide or cover up in any room.”

And while I agree with every single word she says above, it’s still hard for me to now see Sydney stripping off, because she is so much more than her body and I wish other people could see this too.

Sydney is a talented actress who has had back-to-back Emmy nominations for HBO‘s Euphoria and The White Lotus, as well as box-office success with Anyone But You.

This year she fronted a campaign for American Eagle, was honoured with the Achievement in Acting Award at the Hamptons International Film Festival, and was a recipient at Variety’s 2025 Power of Women event, where she delivered an empowering speech.

Since when did we become so shallow as a society to disregard all of Sydney’s talent and success, and view her solely as a nice figure with a big pair of boobs?