Hollywood actress and producer Sydney Sweeney has issued a firm rebuttal to persistent online speculation that she has undergone cosmetic procedures to enhance her career. The 27-year-old star directly addressed comparisons between her current appearance and photos from a decade ago.
The Denial and The Defence
In an interview with Allure magazine last Thursday, Sweeney was unequivocal. "I have never gotten any work done," she declared, citing a fear of needles as a primary reason. She urged critics to consider context, stating, "You cannot compare a photo of me from when I was 12 to a photo of me at 26 with professional make-up and lighting. Of course, I'm gonna look different! Everybody on social media is insane!"
The actress, who was born in Spokane but raised in Los Angeles, added a pointed remark about the symmetry of her features, suggesting that if she had sought cosmetic intervention, her face would be more even. She then revealed a significant contributing factor to her appearance: a childhood wakeboarding accident that resulted in an injury near her left eye requiring 19 stitches.
"One eyelid opens a little more than the other," the registered Republican confessed. "So I feel like it pulls my eye just a little differently than the other." This explanation comes just two months after she told Variety of her plans to age gracefully in the industry.
Navigating Controversy and Box Office Pressure
Sweeney's comments arrive amidst other public relations challenges. Last month, she found herself in hot water for refusing to apologise for a controversial American Eagle campaign, which some accused of promoting Nazi-like eugenics. When GQ offered her a chance to condemn white supremacy, she sidestepped, saying, "When I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear." She later attempted damage control, telling People magazine she is "against hate and divisiveness."
Professionally, Sweeney is under pressure to deliver a commercial success. Her last three producing and starring ventures—Christy ($2 million), Eden ($2.5 million), and Americana ($500,000)—all performed poorly at the box office. She is now pinning hopes on the Lionsgate thriller The Housemaid, in which she stars as ex-con Millie Calloway. The film, directed by Paul Feig and also featuring Amanda Seyfried, is scheduled for release in US theatres on December 19.
A Busy Slate Ahead
Despite recent setbacks, Sweeney's schedule remains packed. She will reprise her breakout role as Cassandra 'Cassie' Howard in the eight-episode third season of HBO's Euphoria, premiering next spring. Furthermore, she is set to produce and star in Scandalous!, the feature directorial debut of her former Euphoria co-star Colman Domingo, which explores the love affair between Kim Novak and Sammy Davis Jr.
Her upcoming projects also include:
- A cameo in The Devil Wears Prada 2.
- The Reddit-based thriller I Pretended to Be a Missing Girl for Warner Bros.
- Jon M. Chu's sci-fi film Split Fiction for Amazon MGM Studios.
- Producing Michael Bay's video game adaptation OutRun for Universal.
Beyond film and television, Sweeney maintains a strong presence as an influencer and brand ambassador, with lucrative partnerships for companies including Jimmy Choo, Samsung Mobile USA, and Giorgio Armani.
