Actress Sydney Sweeney has publicly addressed the significant backlash against a recent advertising campaign, following her latest glamorous social media update from New York City.
Glamorous Instagram Post Amid Press Tour
On Saturday, the 28-year-old Euphoria star posted a series of images to Instagram during her time in New York. One striking photo featured Sweeney covering her bare breasts with her French-manicured hands, wearing a nude corset and flashing a bright smile as her glamour team attended to her. Her blonde hair fell in subtle curls, complemented by diamond hoop earrings and full makeup.
The carousel of images was captioned, 'rounding out nyc with @housemaidmovie.' The post also included several behind-the-scenes shots, including one of her getting makeup touched up for the Today show, photos with her co-star Amanda Seyfried from their new film, and playful pictures of the pair painting portraits of each other.
Addressing the American Eagle Controversy
This social media activity comes after Sweeney finally spoke out about the intense criticism directed at her American Eagle jeans campaign, launched on July 23. The campaign, titled 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,' faced accusations from some consumers of promoting white supremacist ideology, a claim the actress firmly denies.
In an interview with People magazine this week, Sweeney admitted that her previous silence on the matter only intensified the uproar. 'I was honestly surprised by the reaction,' she stated. '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 actress emphasised her personal values, stating she is 'against hate' and 'leads with kindness.' She explained her decision to now confront the issue directly: 'In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it.'
The controversial advert featured Sweeney modelling denim and reciting lines such as, 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring... my genes are blue,' and 'My body's composition is determined by my genes.' Critics labelled the campaign a 'racialized dog whistle,' while American Eagle defended it, asserting it was 'always was about the jeans.'
Promoting New Film 'The Housemaid'
Sweeney's NYC visit was part of a press tour for her upcoming movie, 'The Housemaid,' which is scheduled for release in cinemas on December 19. In the film, she plays Millie, a live-in housemaid seeking a fresh start, who works for a polished couple played by Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar.
The thriller, based on Freida McFadden's 2022 novel, descends into a 'seductive game of secrets, scandal and power.' Director Paul Feig praised the on-screen chemistry between Sweeney and Seyfried, calling it 'through the roof.'
Concluding her thoughts on the recent controversy, Sweeney expressed hope: 'So, I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.'
