Screen legend Kim Novak is making it clear that she is not a fan of modern Hollywood 'It girl' Sydney Sweeney portraying her on the big screen.
The 93-year-old Vertigo star recently voiced her strong disapproval regarding the upcoming biopic Scandalous, a drama set to chronicle Novak's highly scrutinized 1950s romance with jazz icon Sammy Davis Jr.
In a candid interview with The Times of London, Novak stated flatly that she "would never have approved" the casting choice. Her primary concern centers on Sweeney's physical appearance and how it might warp the film's narrative. Noting that the 28-year-old Euphoria star "sticks out so much above the waist," Novak expressed fear that the biopic will reduce her deeply profound connection with Davis Jr. to mere physical attraction.
"There’s no way it wouldn’t be a sexual relationship because Sydney Sweeney looks sexy all the time," Novak explained to the publication. "She was totally wrong to play me."
First announced in October 2024, Scandalous will mark the directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo, with Industry star David Jonsson cast opposite Sweeney as Sammy Davis Jr.
Despite the harsh critique from the very woman she is set to portray, Sweeney has previously expressed deep admiration for the golden age actress. Last fall, the Anyone But You star called the opportunity an incredible honor, emphasizing how much she relates to Novak's historical struggles with the press.
"I think her story is still very relevant today in that she dealt with Hollywood and scrutiny with her relationships and her own private life and the control of her image," Sweeney said at the time. "I relate to it in a lot of different ways."
Sweeney has also been famously outspoken about navigating the public's fixation on her figure. The actress recently opened up about her body image journey, admitting she felt insecure about her chest as a young girl before eventually finding empowerment through her work in television. Advocating for self-acceptance, Sweeney recently shared, "Our bodies are incredible. We should embrace [them] and feel really good in our skin."