Sydney Sweeney’s boxing biopic Christy has been entirely excluded from the 2026 Golden Globe Award nominations, despite the early buzz it generated after receiving a standing ovation at its TIFF world premiere.
When the nominations were released on December 8, neither the film nor the 28-year-old actress appeared in any category, marking a full awards-season shutout. Christy, which debuted in theaters in November 2025, tells the story of pioneering boxer Christy Martin.
Despite its inspirational true-story angle and Sweeney’s intense physical preparation for the role, the film struggled from the outset. The movie opened to a disappointing $1.3 million domestically—far below expectations for a major biographical drama—and then suffered one of the steepest second-week drops in recent box-office memory. Within weeks, theaters across the U.S. began pulling it from their schedules.
This weak financial performance sharply contrasted with the film’s enthusiastic TIFF reception in September, where Sweeney and the rest of the team were met with warm applause during the premiere. Reviews were mixed, but many critics praised Sweeney’s commitment to the role and predicted potential awards consideration.
Earlier this year, Sweeney addressed the film’s underwhelming earnings on Instagram, writing that artists “don’t always just make art for numbers, we make it for impact,” calling Christy the “most impactful project” she has ever worked on.
The actress’s difficult year extended beyond the movie’s struggles. In July, she faced intense backlash over her American Eagle denim campaign. Critics accused the ad—featuring wordplay about “genes” and “jeans”—of echoing eugenics messaging. In the clip, Sweeney spoke about how inherited traits can influence characteristics such as hair and eye color before ending with the line, “My jeans are blue.”
Initially, she avoided commenting on the controversy, later telling GQ, “I did a jean ad… I love jeans. I’m in jeans and a T-shirt every day.” She later clarified her stance in an interview with People, saying she did not support any of the interpretations linked to the commercial. “I’m against hate and divisiveness,” she said, adding that remaining silent had only “widened the divide.”
Christy wasn’t the only film snubbed by the Globes. Wicked: For Good also failed to land a nomination for Best Musical or Comedy. However, its stars fared better individually—Cynthia Erivo earned a nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, while Ariana Grande received one for Best Supporting Actress.
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