Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney has publicly addressed the fierce backlash to a contentious American Eagle jeans advertisement she fronted, conceding that her previous decision to remain silent has exacerbated the situation.
The Controversial Campaign and Accusations of Eugenics
The 28-year-old US film star, famed for her role in HBO's Euphoria, faced intense scrutiny after the launch of the "Great Jeans" campaign in July. The advert's central controversy stemmed from its use of the word "jeans" as a pun on "genes". Critics argued the wordplay was an allusion to eugenics, the discredited pseudoscience of improving the human population through selective breeding.
In the advert, Sweeney stated: "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue." While American Eagle has consistently maintained the campaign was solely about its denim products, the interpretation sparked a significant race and ethics debate.
Sweeney Breaks Her Silence on the Backlash
Speaking to People magazine, Sweeney expressed her astonishment at the reaction. "I was honestly surprised by the reaction," she said. "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 emphasised her personal stance against division, stating: "Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness."
The actress revealed a change in her approach to handling press, acknowledging her usual tactic had failed. "In the past, my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realise that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it," Sweeney confessed. She added a hopeful note: "So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us."
Trump's 'Surreal' Intervention and Ongoing Fallout
Adding an unexpected political dimension to the controversy, Sweeney described it as "surreal" when former US President Donald Trump publicly praised the advert and defended her in the wake of the backlash.
American Eagle moved to defend the campaign in an August Instagram post, clarifying: "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans looks good on everyone."
This is not the first time Sweeney has referenced the furore. In a November interview with GQ, she remarked, "I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear," while reiterating her simple affection for denim.
Meanwhile, Sweeney is currently promoting her next project, The Housemaid, a film adaptation of Freida McFadden’s 2022 bestselling novel, in which she stars alongside Amanda Seyfried.
