Kim Novak calls Sydney Sweeney “totally wrong” for Scandalous role

ALBAWABA - Kim Novak criticized Sydney Sweeney casting in Scandalous film.

Kim Novak recently told The Times of London that she would have "never approved" the upcoming drama film "Scandalous" about her romance with Sammy Davis Jr., which stars Sydney Sweeney and David Jonsson.

Sweeney is expected to play Novak in the film, opposite Jonsson as Davis. Novak is dissatisfied with Sweeney in the part, telling The Times that the "Anyone But You" star "sticks out so much above the waist."

Novak is also concerned that the film would focus too much on her and Davis' sexual chemistry, despite the fact that their romance was built on their "so much in common. "It would definitely be a sexual relationship because Sydney Sweeney looks sexy all the time. She was totally wrong to play me.”

Representatives for Sydney Sweeney did not immediately respond to Variety's request for comment.

"Scandalous" was first announced in October 2024, with Sweeney's "Euphoria" co-star Colman Domingo in the lead. Miramax was said to be fast-tracking the project, with plans to shoot once the third season of "Euphoria" ended production.

While Novak is concerned about "Scandalous," Sweeney told People in October 2025 that she is "incredibly honored" to headline the picture.

"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," according to her. "And I think that for me, I relate to it in a lot of different ways."

Novak and Davis originally met in 1956 when appearing as guests on "The Steve Allen Show." They continued to meet on a regular basis the following year, with Davis even visiting the set of Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo." They met again at a Thanksgiving charity ball in California and decided to spend the holidays together.

Their romance became public in 1958, when a Chicago columnist wrote about Davis and Novak's connection, suggesting they were about to marry. Novak denied the account, and Davis married Loray White a few days later. Their romance lasted only one year. Novak married Richard Johnson in 1965. The couple eventually separated, but Malloy remarried until his death in 1976.