Actor Sydney Sweeney has said she regrets not speaking out sooner over the controversy surrounding her American Eagle jeans advert, which was accused of promoting eugenics and white supremacy. The star admitted her silence had only 'widened the divide' between people.
The campaign, which launched last summer and featured the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actor saying she 'has great jeans', sparked fierce backlash on social media, with comparisons to Nazi propaganda. Critics argued the imagery carried undertones of racial purity, while former US President Donald Trump defended it as 'the hottest ad out there'.
In an interview with People magazine, Sweeney said: 'I was honestly surprised by the reaction. 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.' She added: 'Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness.'
Despite the controversy, the advert proved a commercial success, making American Eagle the most popular jeans brand among 15-25 year olds and boosting its stock by 30%. However, Forbes urged the brand to 'reconsider' the campaign, and store visits fell by 9% by the end of the summer.
Sweeney, known for her role in HBO's Euphoria, is now considered an outside contender for an Oscar for her leading performance in the boxing biopic Christy. She described Trump's intervention in the row as 'surreal'.
