Hollywood actress slams Sydney Sweeney as ‘totally wrong’ to play her in new biopic
Hollywood actress slams Sydney Sweeney as ‘totally wrong’ to play her in new biopic
Biopic’s Controversial Casting
Renowned Hollywood veteran Kim Novak has stated she ‘would never have approved’ Sydney Sweeney’s portrayal of her in the new biopic. The film, titled *Scandalous!*, centers on her 1957 romance with Sammy Davis Jr., a musician, entertainer, and Rat Pack member. Directed by Colman Domingo, the project casts Sweeney as Kim while Alien: Romulus star David Jonsson takes on the role of the late Davis Jr.
Historical Context of the Relationship
Kim first encountered Davis Jr. on The Steve Allen Show in 1957, when both appeared as guests. The next year, they began a relationship, despite Kim’s contract with Columbia Pictures. Harry Cohn, the studio’s president, feared public backlash against their interracial union might harm the company’s reputation. A Gallup survey at the time revealed just 4% of Americans supported such relationships, which were still prohibited in several states.
Kim’s Criticism at Venice Film Festival
At last year’s Venice Film Festival, Kim voiced her concerns regarding the biopic. ‘I have to speak out about the movie that’s about to be made about the Sammy Davis relationship,’ she told a masterclass audience. She criticized the casting choice, stating that the film would emphasize the sexual aspect of their bond rather than their shared connection. ‘There’s no way it wouldn’t be a sexual relationship because Sydney Sweeney looks sexy all the time. She was totally wrong to play me,’ she added.
Defiance and Drama
Kim, best known for her role in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 thriller *Vertigo*, once described their relationship as ‘often misunderstood.’ She highlighted how societal biases influenced public perception. ‘Because of the color of his skin, people did terrible things,’ she reflected. Davis Jr. echoed this, saying, ‘We became conspirators, united by our shared defiance.’
Behind the Scenes and Personal Feelings
Despite their defiance, Davis Jr. faced pressure to end the relationship after a gossip column hinted at an impending marriage. Organized crime figures close to Cohn threatened him with violence if he didn’t marry a Black woman within two days. Nine days later, he wed Loray White, a Black chorus girl. The couple never lived together and divorced the following year. He later married May Britt, a Swedish actress, in 1960, enduring intense racism and scrutiny. Their third marriage, to dancer Altovise Gore, lasted until his death in 1990.
Kim, meanwhile, married actor Richard Johnson in 1965 and veterinarian Robert Malloy in 1976, remaining with him until his passing in 2021. She praised Sydney’s talent but emphasized her ‘personal feeling’ about the casting. ‘I think that the person that is going to be doing it is a really wonderful actress, I truly do, she’s really good,’ she said. ‘But I don’t think we want an actress for that role—more of a re-actor, if you will.’
‘I think actors have a wonderful place to do whatever, but, in my case, I’m not an actress—I’m a re-actress. So therefore, I’d like to see somebody playing that role that is more of a re-actor than an actor.’
In an earlier conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Sydney mentioned Colman Domingo and Kim had a beautiful working relationship. ‘Colman and her have a really beautiful relationship. They’ve been talking. We connected them, so it’s been really cool,’ she said. Yet she also noted, ‘It’s an incredible honor to portray Kim, as her story remains deeply relevant today.’
