At first glance, Sydney Sweeney and Martha Stewart might appear to share only superficial similarities as beautiful blondes with modelling backgrounds who've fronted American Eagle campaigns. However, these two women share a deeper connection: both have experienced dramatic public falls from grace that threatened to derail their careers.
Parallel Paths: From Public Darling to Persona Non Grata
Sydney Sweeney, the 28-year-old A-list actress, currently finds herself persona non grata in Hollywood following multiple controversies that have alienated fans and industry insiders alike. The backlash began with her perceived connections to the MAGA movement, intensified with her romance with controversial record executive Scooter Braun, and grew through alleged feuds with fellow stars.
The final straw for many critics proved to be her summer campaign with American Eagle, where the slogan "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" sparked accusations of promoting eugenics. The controversy reached such heights that critics threatened to boycott the brand entirely.
Meanwhile, Martha Stewart's unveiling as the new face of American Eagle this week caused the clothing company's shares to jump by four percent in a single day, creating a stark contrast between the two women's current brand appeal.
Martha Stewart's Remarkable Comeback Strategy
There was a time when Martha Stewart, now 84, faced similar professional exile. The homemaking mogul fell from public favour in 2003 when she faced fraud charges related to insider trading. Though she denied wrongdoing, she was convicted of securities fraud, obstruction of justice and making false statements. In 2004, she received a sentence of five months in federal prison followed by five months of house arrest.
Upon her release, Stewart attempted a traditional comeback with her self-titled cooking show, but initial interest soon waned. Her social and cultural relevance appeared to be permanently diminished until she discovered an ingenious approach to rehabilitation.
The turning point came in 2015 when Stewart participated in the Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber, where she boldly poked fun at her own prison experience. Her publicist had warned her that the event was "a little bit out of your milieu," but Stewart's determination paid off spectacularly.
During the roast, she had the audience in hysterics with jokes like: "Justin, I'm sure it's great to have 60 million followers on Twitter, but the only place people will be following you in jail is into the shower." She even offered to "give Justin Bieber some tips for when he inevitably ends up in prison," including how to make a shank and how she "stuck" the "biggest bull d**e" in jail to gain respect.
The performance earned her a standing ovation and praise from Bieber himself, who called her "incredible." More importantly, it catapulted her into a younger audience and helped the public move past her scandal.
Contrasting Approaches to Controversy Management
While Martha Stewart learned that embracing and poking fun at her scandal ultimately helped public perception, Sydney Sweeney has taken a different approach. During a recent interview with GQ, when questioned about the American Eagle ad controversy, Sweeney attempted to sidestep the issue entirely.
Her flippant response—"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"—only stirred more backlash. When pressed about Donald Trump calling the ad "fantastic," she remained poised but avoided directly addressing the concerns.
Most notably, when given the opportunity to address claims that the ad condoned "genetic superiority," Sweeney simply replied: "I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear." Many critics felt she missed a chance to apologise or at least clarify that she doesn't hold racist views.
For now, Sweeney is focusing on work, recently promoting her boxing biopic Christy. However, the film proved to be a box office flop, ranking in the top 12 worst ever for movies showing on more than 2000 screens according to Box Office Mojo, despite a 67 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The contrasting fortunes of these two women provide a compelling case study in crisis management and brand recovery. Where Stewart embraced her past mistakes with humour and transparency, Sweeney has so far chosen avoidance—with markedly different results for their public perception and professional opportunities.
