Is Sydney Sweeney caught in a storm she never saw coming? The “Euphoria” star, blindsided by the hype surrounding her, faced fresh controversy with her July 2025 American Eagle “Good Jeans” campaign, which critics slammed for eugenics undertones and oversexualization. Yet, Sweeney’s controversies often stem from others’ interpretations, not her actions. Feeling unprepared for fame’s intensity, can she break free from this cycle in 2025?
Sweeney’s rise began with “Euphoria” (2019) and “The White Lotus” (2021), earning her two Emmy nominations and Gen Z icon status. But the spotlight has been harsh. “Privacy [is] huge,” she told The Times UK before the ad’s release, admitting, “18-year-old me had no idea what she was signing up for.”
Surprised by the hype, she described paparazzi at her home as “crazy” and media narratives as “not real,” revealing a guarded star struggling to trust others. The American Eagle ad, launched July 23, featured Sweeney saying, “Genes are passed down… My jeans are blue,” with close-ups on her blonde hair and blue eyes. Critics called it a nod to white-centric beauty standards, with some, like journalist Alyssa Vingan, labeling it “tone-deaf” for echoing eugenics rhetoric.
The ad’s male-gaze visuals, reminiscent of Brooke Shields‘ 1980 Calvin Klein campaign, fueled backlash, though it boosted American Eagle‘s stock by 20% and sold out the Sydney Jean, benefiting Crisis Text Line. American Eagle defended it, stating, “It’s about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.” This echoes past scrutiny. In 2022, Sweeney posted photos from her mother’s 60th birthday, where guests wore “Make Sixty Great Again” hats, prompting MAGA accusations. She clarified, “It was an innocent celebration… Please stop making assumptions.”Tory Burch bets on polka dots, sheer looks and bold hues for spring
Can Sweeney handle fame after ad controversy?
Her brother Trent Sweeney, a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant, jokingly referenced the ad with “It’s them good jeans” on Instagram after his promotion. Yet, Sweeney’s discomfort was clear in her Times interview, where she appeared “visibly tense,” overwhelmed by fame’s relentless pressure. Why does Sweeney attract such heat? Her all-American image-blonde, blue-eyed, curvy-makes her a target in a polarized climate. The ad’s “genes” pun carried “historical baggage,” unintentionally evoking Eurocentric ideals, per marketing expert Cheryl Overton.
Political figures like Donald Trump praised it as “anti-woke,” escalating the debate. Sweeney’s ventures, like Dr. Squatch’s bathwater soap, amplify her sex-symbol persona, but she told Variety in 2024, “People feel free to speak about my body… I have no control.” Feeling unprepared for the hype, she’s navigating a post-DEI marketing shift toward provocative ads. With “Americana” and a Christy Martin biopic set for 2025, can Sweeney rise above controversies she didn’t ignite?
