See the ‘Christy’ Cast Side-by-Side with the Real People They Play

Sydney Sweeney as Christy Martin

Sweeney stars as the titular character in Christy. The Anyone But You actress wrote on Instagram in October 2024 that she was “honored to step into her shoes to share her powerful story.”

Ahead of the film’s release, Sweeney spoke to W Magazine about her physical transformation into Martin, which included gaining over 30 pounds during a three-month training period.

“I started eating. I weight-trained in the morning for an hour, kickboxed midday for about two hours, and then weight-trained again at night for an hour,” Sweeney told the outlet. “My body was completely different. But it was amazing: I was so strong, like crazy strong.”

Martin, whose nickname was “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” is known as one of the greatest female boxers of all time. She competed from 1989 to 2012 and became the first female boxer to be inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame before making her way to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020.

After Sweeney announced that she was playing Martin in the biopic, the boxer wrote on Instagram that she was “beyond excited and grateful” that the actress would tell “the battles I faced both inside and outside the ring.”

“Her talent, passion, and dedication to her craft are unmatched, and I couldn’t ask for a more amazing artist to portray me,” Martin wrote in October 2024. “It’s incredible to see how she embodies not just the fighter in me, but the woman who overcame it all. Sydney, thank you for diving deep into my journey—can’t wait for the world to see this!”

Ben Foster as James V. Martin

Foster’s character is James V. Martin, who was married to Martin from 1991 to 2010. The actor, who is known for his roles in Hell or High Water and The Messenger, spoke about how he embraced his role while also highlighting the issue of domestic violence.

“We discussed the subject of domestic violence in depth,” Foster said during a post-screening Q&A, per Gold Derby. “We corkscrewed into what is frightfully not Christy’s triumphant career, but those who do struggle at home quietly. It was of the utmost importance [to us] that we honor that as best we could.”

In addition to being her husband, James also served as Martin’s manager. The boxer later claimed that he was emotionally, financially and physically abusive. After Martin reconnected with her high school girlfriend, she asked for a divorce in 2010, and James stabbed her several times and shot her in their home, per Reuters.

Martin survived the attempted murder, and James was arrested and later sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to the Orlando Sentinel. He died on Nov. 26, 2024, while serving his sentence at Graceville Correctional Facility.

Merritt Wever as Joyce Salters

Wever plays Joyce Salters, Martin’s conservative stay-at-home mother. The actress, who previously starred in Nurse Jackie, portrays Joyce as a parent concerned about both her daughter’s career choice and the thought that Martin could be lesbian.

As the story unfolds, Joyce also struggles to believe that her daughter’s husband is abusive, because the two of them had a close relationship. However, after Martin was brutally attacked, Joyce stood by her side and supported her.

“Sometimes I think she thought I knew what was going on,” the mom explained to ESPN in 2020. “Like, why didn’t I do something about it? But I had no idea. I really don’t know what I could have done.”

Although Martin and Joyce had a complicated relationship, they maintained a close bond until her death on Feb. 28, 2025.

Ethan Embry as John Salters

Embry plays Martin’s dad, John Salters, who worked as a welder at a coal mine in West Virginia. The actor previously had prominent roles in Sweet Home Alabama and Disturbing Behavior.

Martin and John had a deep relationship growing up and have remained close, including celebrating John’s 80th birthday in August 2025.

“My dad always told me, ‘You can do anything you want to do, be anything you want to be,’ ” Martin said to ESPN.

Katy O’Brian as Lisa Holewyne

O’Brian’s character is Lisa Holewyne, who first crossed paths with Martin in the competitive boxing world in 2001 and later fell in love with her. O’Brian, who is also a martial artist, has previously starred in Love Lies Bleeding, The Mandalorian and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

“When I was asked to play this woman, I was terrified,” O’Brian wrote in a September 2025 Instagram post. “Christy Martin’s story is so real, raw, heartbreaking, and inspiring and Lisa’s love for her, so clear and palpable, that you can’t help but feel the weight and responsibility of making sure you portray every aspect as authentically and respectfully as possible.”

Martin and Holewyne married in November 2017, and they celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary in 2024.

Coleman Pedigo as Randy Salters

Pedigo is making his film debut as Martin’s brother, Randy Salters. The boxer’s sibling, with whom she shared a tight bond, worked in the mines like his dad.

Randy died on Nov. 28, 2020, and Martin continues to celebrate his “heavenly birthday” every July.

“He had no idea how many lives he touched or how much he was loved,” she wrote on Instagram in July 2023.

Jess Gabor as Rosie (based on Sherry Lusk)

Gabor plays Rosie, a fictional character who was based on the real person, Sherry Lusk. Prior to playing Rosie, Gabor had roles in Shameless, School Spirits and Three Women.

Martin and Lusk met in eighth grade and played basketball together before striking up a romance in high school. As Martin’s parents didn’t approve of the relationship, they broke up, and Martin went on to marry James.

In 2010, Martin and Lusk reconnected on social media, and the boxer confided in Lusk about her abusive husband. Lusk helped Martin leave James and supported her in the hospital after her attack, but they ultimately didn’t stay together.

“I used to think I loved Sherry,” Martin reflected to ESPN. “But I didn’t. Not really. I was in love with how I felt being me.”

Chad L. Coleman as Don King

Coleman, who is known for his roles in The Wire and The Walking Dead, plays Martin’s boxing promoter, Don King. In addition to promoting her, King also worked with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran and George Foreman, among others.

Martin inducted King into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame in April 2025.

“Thanks to DK, I’m a Hall of Famer,” she said at the ceremony, according to Max Boxing. “He gave me an opportunity no other promoter was willing to give me. I learned how to deal with the media from DK. I felt like every time I went into the ring, he was sitting on my shoulder. I couldn’t let him down after he took a huge chance on me.”

Tony Cavalero as James Maloney

Cavalero plays James “Shortdog” Maloney, a fellow boxer who frequently worked with Martin. Before acting in Christy, Cavalero appeared in School of Rock, The Righteous Gemstones and The Dirt.

Maloney has kept a low profile over the years but has previously been pictured boxing with Martin and “spent much of his career in Orlando working with and helping her,” according to a 2023 Facebook post from SJC Boxing.