The Downfall of Sydney Sweeney
Graphic by Emma Novy
At this point, it feels like Sydney Sweeney is just asking for a career downfall. After years of supporting her—through Everything Sucks (still elite ball knowledge), Euphoria, White Lotus and Anyone But You—her current pitfalls feel like I, myself, am living through a humiliation ritual.
In June, Sweeney starred in a Dr. Squatch campaign, in which she sold soap made from her bathwater. The campaign was a sad attempt at pandering to an audience that sees her as an object, rather than a capable actress.
By July, Sweeney partnered with American Eagle to release an ad campaign, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans," which was nothing short of disturbing. The whole “my genes are blue” bit wasn’t clever; a tone-deaf flirtation with Aryan-supremacist language. When an ultra-blonde (fake blonde, at that) white actress leans into wink-wink wordplay about her “perfect jeans,” it is, plain and simple, a blatant flirtation with eugenic aesthetics.
Instead of acknowledging the obvious implications, Sweeney stood ten toes down during her November 4th interview with GQ, brushing off any questions regarding the ad. When asked if she was surprised by the reaction, all she could say was “I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise. I love jeans! All I wear are jeans! I'm literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life. Jeans are uncontroversial. Jeans are awesome.”
Nobody was accusing Sweeney of hating jeans. The backlash wasn’t about denim preferences, which is what she tried to make it seem like in her one opportunity to reflect on the ad. Her response revealed a deep disconnect between the criticism and her understanding of it, which she followed with positive recollection about her online reaction from Trump—calling it “surreal” to be defended by the President. Not only did she avoid accountability, but she reframed the entire controversy to be about “people getting mad about jeans,” sidestepping the actual critique.
At the time of writing, Sweeney’s newest film, Christy, utterly flopped. Despite a $15 million budget, the movie performed poorly at the box office, earning only $1.3 million in its opening weekend. This was supposed to be her big “I am more than the male gaze” role. Yet, the demographic she has repeatedly pandered to—white men, who praise her appearance while ignoring her ability—didn’t want to see her in a role where she’s not sexy. And the demographic that would’ve appreciated the pivot is exhausted by the blatant missteps.
Now, Alexa Demie and Zendaya are reportedly refusing to do press with Sweeney due to political differences. What is frustrating is that this didn’t have to happen. Sweeney had a great career going, but it feels like she, herself, is doing anything to prevent that. And if she keeps doubling down instead of learning, the only person left to blame for the downfall will be her.