Kim Novak Criticizes Casting of Sydney Sweeney in Biopic

The 93-year-old actor says Sweeney is 'totally wrong' to portray her in upcoming film about her romance with Sammy Davis Jr.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:53am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Legendary actor Kim Novak has voiced her disapproval of the casting of Sydney Sweeney to play her in the upcoming biopic 'Scandalous,' which will dramatize Novak's romantic relationship with musician Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1950s. Novak, now 93 years old, says Sweeney is 'totally wrong to play me' and that she would have 'never approved' the film's production.

Why it matters

The casting of Novak's biopic has sparked controversy, as the film aims to depict a high-profile interracial relationship that faced intense scrutiny and pressure from Hollywood studios in the 1950s. Novak's objections to Sweeney's casting raise questions about authenticity, representation, and creative control in biopics depicting the lives of legendary actors.

The details

According to reports, the development of 'Scandalous' has stalled, but Sweeney is still attached to star as Novak, with Colman Domingo set to direct. Novak told the Times that Sweeney 'sticks out so much above the waist' and that she is worried the film will focus too heavily on the sexual nature of her relationship with Davis. 'There's no way it wouldn't be a sexual relationship because Sydney Sweeney looks sexy all the time,' Novak said. 'She was totally wrong to play me.'

  • Novak and Davis first met in 1956 and their romance quietly developed over the following year.
  • In 1958, their relationship was outed by a gossip columnist, sparking worries at Columbia Pictures that a public backlash against their star Novak for being in an interracial relationship would hurt the studio.
  • Novak briefly married the British actor Richard Johnson in 1965, then the equine veterinarian Robert Malloy in 1976; the couple remained together until his death in 2020.

The players

Kim Novak

A legendary 93-year-old actor who starred in Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 film 'Vertigo' and had a high-profile romantic relationship with musician Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1950s.

Sydney Sweeney

An actor known for her roles in the HBO series 'Euphoria,' who has been cast to play Novak in the upcoming biopic 'Scandalous.'

Sammy Davis Jr.

A renowned musician who had a romantic relationship with Kim Novak in the 1950s that faced intense scrutiny and pressure from Hollywood studios.

Colman Domingo

The director attached to the biopic 'Scandalous,' which will depict the relationship between Novak and Davis.

Harry Cohn

The former Columbia Pictures boss who hired crime figures to threaten Sammy Davis Jr. in an attempt to end his relationship with Kim Novak.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“'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.'”

— Kim Novak

“'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. And I think that for me, I relate to it in a lot of different ways.'”

— Sydney Sweeney

“'I don't think the relationship was scandalous. He's somebody I really cared about. We had so much in common, including that need to be accepted for who we are and what we do, rather than how we look.'”

— Kim Novak

The takeaway

Novak's objections to the casting of Sydney Sweeney highlight the ongoing challenges of authentically depicting the lives of legendary actors in biopics, particularly when it comes to sensitive topics like interracial relationships that faced intense scrutiny in Hollywood's past. The controversy raises questions about creative control, representation, and the need for greater collaboration between filmmakers and the subjects they portray.