Sydney Sweeney has said she regrets not speaking out sooner over the controversy surrounding her American Eagle jeans advert, which critics accused of flirting with eugenics. The actor, known for her role in HBO's Euphoria, told People magazine that her silence 'widened the divide' between people.
The 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans' campaign, launched in the summer, was a commercial success, making American Eagle the most popular jean brand for 15- to 25-year-olds and boosting its stock by 30%. However, the ad featuring a blond-haired, blue-eyed model was criticised for carrying undertones of white supremacy, with some social media users comparing it to 'Nazi propaganda'.
Donald Trump called the campaign 'the hottest ad out there', while Forbes argued the brand should 'reconsider' it. Sweeney said she was 'surprised by the reaction', adding: 'I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don't support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign.'
The actor, who is considered an outside bet for an Oscar for her role in the biopic Christy, said she should have addressed the row earlier. 'Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always trying to bring people together. I'm against hate and divisiveness,' she told People.
