The Great Unwokening Fails to Draw Crowds
Despite being hailed as the poster child for Hollywood's predicted conservative cultural revolution, Sydney Sweeney has encountered a significant setback. Her latest film, Christy, in which she portrays boxer Christy Martin, has recorded one of the worst opening weekends in box-office history. This poor performance follows her other commercial disappointments this year, Eden and Americana, raising serious questions about the viability of this supposed cultural shift.
From Euphoria to Empty Theatres
The actor, who rose to fame in Euphoria, found herself at the centre of political discourse earlier this year. After reports emerged that she had registered as a Republican voter in Florida months before Trump's election, right-wing commentators championed her as representing a return to 'traditional' beauty standards. This perception was further amplified by her controversial American Eagle advertisement, which some critics interpreted as flirting with white supremacist eugenics due to its 'great jeans/genes' wordplay.
When questioned by GQ about the ensuing controversy, Sweeney offered a notably vague response: "I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear." Her reluctance to distance herself from the divisive narrative projected onto her cemented her status among right-wing zealots as a leader in the so-called great unwokening of Hollywood.
A Cultural Movement That Doesn't Buy Tickets?
This cultural moment was foreshadowed by a New York magazine cover in January, following Trump's second inauguration, depicting young right-wingers celebrating as they "contemplate cultural domination." The article proclaimed that conservatism was back as a cultural force for the first time since the 1980s. In Britain, similar sentiments are echoed in ongoing debates about BBC "wokeness."
However, the commercial failure of Sweeney's films suggests a significant disconnect. While buying a provocative "Reagan-Bush '84" T-shirt is an easy commitment for a gen-Z conservative, consistently supporting conservative-leaning stars at the box office appears to be a different matter. The question arises: does the political right care enough about reshaping culture to actually show up and pay for it?
Meanwhile, films with diverse themes have thrived. Sinners, an African-American horror film, and One Battle After Another, about fighting racist authorities, have found both critical and commercial success, generating Oscars buzz. This contrast implies that, ultimately, audiences are drawn to quality rather than political alignment. As the industry looks forward, the performance of Sweeney's films serves as a potent reminder that manufactured cultural movements cannot replace genuine artistic appeal.
