Sydney Sweeney Breaks Silence After American Eagle Ad Backlash

After fronting a major campaign for American Eagle, Sydney Sweeney found herself at the centre of a heated debate. The promo, which played on the phrase “great jeans”, sparked a wave of criticism over supposed undertones about genetics. Sweeney, who initially chose not to comment, has now admitted she regrets keeping quiet as the fallout continued to grow.

Speaking recently, Sweeney shared that her approach to both positive and negative press had always been to stay out of the fray. But she’s since changed her tune, realising that her silence may have only made things worse.

In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it.

She added,

So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.

Controversy Over the 'Great Jeans' Campaign

The trouble kicked off with the campaign’s cheeky tagline, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”, which many took as a double entendre. Some punters argued the ad was pushing a message about genetic superiority, with accusations flying about promoting narrow beauty ideals and even claims of white supremacy. A few critics went so far as to label the campaign as “nazi propaganda”, reading into it a subtle message of racism. Despite later clarifications that the ad was simply about denim, Sweeney copped plenty of flak for her involvement.

The situation escalated when Sweeney’s political leanings were called into question, with some alleging she was a Republican. The controversy even drew in Donald Trump, adding more fuel to the fire and keeping the debate in the headlines.

Impact on Sweeney’s Film Career

All this drama unfolded just as Sweeney was gearing up for the release of Christy, a biopic about legendary boxer Christy Martin. The film, which had generated plenty of buzz thanks to Sweeney’s transformation for the role, ended up struggling at the box office. The timing of the American Eagle saga, along with the political chatter, created a tough environment for the film’s launch.

While it’s hard to pin the film’s lacklustre performance solely on the controversy, there’s little doubt it played a part. Christy opened to one of the weakest box office showings in recent memory, and its global takings have remained underwhelming. The film, directed by David Michod and featuring Ben Foster and Merritt Wever alongside Sweeney, landed with a 6/10 on IMDb and a 66% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but only managed to pull in $1.9 million worldwide.

Public Reaction and Ongoing Debate

The backlash against Sweeney didn’t just affect her reputation; it also cast a shadow over the film’s release. Some reckon Christy might have fared better without the baggage of the ad controversy. The debate over the campaign’s intent and Sweeney’s response continues to divide audiences, with many still weighing in on whether her silence helped or hindered her career.

Christy is currently screening in select cinemas across the US.