Actress Sydney Sweeney has publicly addressed the fierce backlash surrounding her American Eagle 'good genes' advertising campaign, insisting the public's reaction was something she could not control.
The Controversial Campaign
The 27-year-old actress found herself at the centre of a cultural firestorm earlier this year when the denim brand released the campaign featuring wordplay on 'good jeans' and 'good genes'. This phrasing drew immediate comparisons to the racist language historically used by eugenicists, quickly igniting outrage across social media platforms.
Critics accused the advertisement of promoting white supremacy and using racial dog whistles, though Sweeney remained largely silent about the controversy until recent interviews.
Sweeney's Response to Criticism
In a new interview with The Guardian to promote her latest film Christy, Sweeney continued to avoid directly addressing the specific criticisms of the campaign. When questioned about the negative reaction to both the ad and her reported right-wing political leanings, she responded that she was 'always just me'.
'I think what's interesting is I'm always myself,' Sweeney explained. 'I'm always just me. But it's what other people put on me that's uncontrollable. Like you're going to write this article... Then people will read it and have their own perception. So I try and be as much of me as possible, but it's always through other people's lenses.'
New Film Release and Personal Connections
Friday saw the release of her newest movie, Christy, a biographical sports drama following Christy Martin's rise to becoming the most successful female boxer of the 1990s.
Reflecting on her portrayal of Christy Martin, Sweeney revealed that the trailblazing boxer's experiences resonated with her on multiple levels. Martin navigated being a gay woman in male-dominated boxing while surviving abuse from her husband and trainer.
'On a lot of different levels I understood and could relate to Christy,' Sweeney admitted after reading Martin's story. 'She has her fight inside the ring and outside the ring and I fight within my own ring and outside my ring. Misunderstood. Complicated relationships. Growing up as a woman. Carving out our own paths and figuring out who we are.'
Box Office Performance and Further Controversy
Despite Sweeney's personal connection to the material, the film has failed to impress both critics and audiences. Christy grossed a meager $1.3 million over its opening weekend, according to industry reports.
The film, which held a 67% score on Rotten Tomatoes, was released in 2,011 theaters, averaging just $649 per venue. Box Office Mojo reported that the opening ranked among the top twelve worst-ever performances for movies showing on more than 2,000 screens.
This disappointing performance comes after Sweeney attracted further criticism last week for avoiding questions about the American Eagle advertisement controversy. While many expected the Euphoria star to either defend the advert or express regret for the negative interpretation, she chose to do neither.
Speaking to GQ about the backlash, Sweeney minimized her involvement, stating: 'I did a jean ad. The reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I'm literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life.'
When pressed about Donald Trump's comments praising the campaign as 'the hottest ad ever' after learning Sweeney was a registered Republican, the White Lotus star called the situation 'surreal'. She insisted she hadn't been closely following the response because she was busy working and away from her phone.
Even when given the opportunity to address claims that the ad condoned 'genetic superiority,' Sweeney dodged the chance to either defend or apologise for the campaign. Instead, she offered a vague response: 'I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.'
Despite the controversy and her film's underwhelming performance, Sweeney took to Instagram on Saturday to share photos documenting the production of Christy, describing the experience as something that 'will stay in [her] heart forever.'
She paid tribute to Christy Martin herself, saying the boxer inspired everyone involved in the movie 'to step into our power. Her story made us fight harder for ourselves and for every woman who has ever been silenced.'
