Kim Novak Criticizes Sydney Sweeney Casting in Biopic About Her Relationship with Sammy Davis Jr.

Miramax has announced production of a biographical film titled 'Scandalous!' focusing on the romantic relationship between Hollywood actress Kim Novak and African American entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. during the 1950s. The project has sparked controversy due to the casting of Sydney Sweeney as Novak, with the 93-year-old actress publicly stating Sweeney is 'completely wrong' for the role. Novak expressed concern that Sweeney's prominent physical appearance would shift the film's focus toward sexuality rather than substance, arguing this would reinforce the reductive image of women as primarily bodies that she has resisted throughout her career. The screenplay was written by Matthew Fantaci, with Sweeney set to serve as both star and executive producer. She has reportedly secured Colman Domingo to direct. The film explores the couple's relationship, which ended abruptly when Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn, alarmed by the potential scandal of an interracial relationship, allegedly used Mafia connections to threaten Davis. Novak's career includes significant roles in films like 'Picnic' and Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo,' where she often challenged superficial perceptions of women. Sweeney, known for roles in 'Euphoria' and 'The Housemaid,' has built her career within Hollywood's existing frameworks of feminine presentation, sometimes engaging with 'dumb blonde' stereotypes. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in how female performers are perceived, with Novak historically positioned as a projection of male fantasies in classic Hollywood, while Sweeney navigates contemporary digital landscapes where her image has been appropriated by some political groups as representing 'traditional femininity.' Both actresses face pressures to exist primarily as visual symbols, though Novak has expressed distress over this reduction while Sweeney appears to leverage it strategically.