Kim Novak has told the Times she doesn't think Sydney Sweeney should play her in the upcoming biopic, 'Scandalous,' about her relationship with the musician Sammy Davis Jr. She expressed concern that the casting hints their relationship won't be portrayed as emotional but physical. "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."
In 2025, the 93-year-old actress stated that she would have "never approved" the movie and that she took issue with the film’s title. "I don’t think the relationship was scandalous," she added, even though their interracial relationship sparked concerns at Columbia Pictures when they were outed by a gossip columnist in 1958.
Veteran Hollywood actress Kim Novak, who first appeared on cinema screens in 1953, remains one of the defining faces of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Best known for films such as 'Phffft' (1954), 'Picnic' (1955), 'The Man with the Golden Arm' (1955), and Alfred Hitchcock’s 'Vertigo' (1958), Novak captivated audiences with her talent and presence. At 93, she stands as one of the last living legends of Hollywood’s glamorous 1950s era.
Click through the following gallery for an appreciation of Kim Novak's life and work.