'I learned so much about myself'

Sydney Sweeney tells Lynn Rusk about the transformative impact that portraying boxer and abuse survivor Christy Martin has had on her - Christy is in cinemas this weekend

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Christy Martin, nicknamed 'the Coal Miner's Daughter', never imagined a life beyond her small West Virginia town until she discovered her talent for boxing.

Fuelled by an innate fighting spirit, Martin, now 57, went on to become one of the most successful female boxers in the United States.

But despite her ferocity in the ring, she was also a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her manager and husband, Jim Martin, the most dangerous opponent she would ever face.

A new film, directed and co-written by Australian filmmaker David Michôd, chronicles her rise to becoming America's best-known female boxer in the 1990s and her husband-turned-coach's 2010 attempted murder of her.

Christy, starring Sydney Sweeney in the title role and Ben Foster as her husband Jim, aims to spotlight patterns of abuse and amplify Martin's message of resilience.

Sweeney, 28, describes playing Christy as "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" and "a beautiful gift".

"I learned so much about myself, and I have the honour and the blessing of getting to have Christy in my life forever. She's absolutely inspiring," the American actress reflects.

"Christy is one of those roles that comes along once in a lifetime, the kind an actor dreams of. I've always wanted a character I could lose myself in, one that would truly challenge me, and Christy was all of those things. She was a beautiful gift, and one of the most inspiring people I've ever met."