“The Reaction Was a Surprise”: Sydney Sweeney Addresses American Eagle Campaign Firestorm

Actress Sydney Sweeney has finally broken her silence on the unexpected and highly divisive controversy sparked by her American Eagle ad campaign, humorously titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” The seemingly innocuous play on words—“great genes” versus “great jeans”—ignited a firestorm on social media after its July 23 release, with critics accusing the campaign of glorifying a racial idea and promoting eugenics by featuring a blonde, blue-eyed woman. In a new interview, the Euphoria star confessed that the “reaction definitely was a surprise,” and called the overall experience “surreal,” especially after high-profile conservative figures like Donald Trump and Megyn Kelly weighed in to mock the backlash. Despite the intense public debate, Sweeney maintained she was largely insulated from the drama by her intense 16-hour-a-day filming schedule for Euphoria and her commitment to “just put my phone away.”

The Campaign That Sparked the Firestorm

The American Eagle advertisement, intended to be a simple celebration of denim, was immediately interpreted by critics as having a dark, unintended racial undertone.

The campaign, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” featured the actress modeling denim with the tagline playing on the homophone for “great genes.” The backlash was swift and severe, with many social media users condemning the ad for seemingly “glorifying a racial idea” and promoting “genetic superiority” by using a blonde, blue-eyed woman to represent “great genes.” Sweeney, in her comments to GQ, maintained a simple view of the ad’s intent: “I did a jean ad… I love jeans. All I wear are jeans.” American Eagle later released a statement defending the ad, asserting it “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans, her story.”

The Star’s Reaction: Keeping it Vague

While acknowledging the intensity of the reaction, Sydney Sweeney chose to largely maintain a vague, detached public stance on the political and racial interpretations of the controversy.

When first asked about the controversies surrounding her, Sweeney emphasized her focus on her work, stating, “I’m not here to tell people what to think. I’m just here to kind of open their eyes to different ideas.” She insisted that her personal knowledge of her own character—that she is a “kind person” who “know[s] what I value”—shields her from letting others define her. Pressed directly about the “genetic superiority” criticism, Sweeney side-stepped a direct answer, replying, “I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.”

Political Players Weigh In: The Surreal Endorsement

The controversy escalated when numerous conservative public figures threw their support behind Sweeney, turning the denim ad debate into a national political talking point.

The backlash was swiftly framed by conservatives as a case of “cancel culture run amok,” with many mocking the critics. President Donald Trump was asked about the reports that Sweeney is a registered Republican and responded, “Oh, now I love her ad! You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans.” Vice President JD Vance also quipped that the political strategy of Democrats appeared to be telling everyone who finds Sweeney attractive that they are a “Nazi.” Sweeney admitted that having figures like Trump and Vance weigh in on her ad was “surreal,” revealing the extraordinary reach of the social media debate.

Insulation and Financial Success

Sweeney claims the intense demands of her work schedule kept her largely insulated from the noise of the public controversy, while she remained aware of the positive financial results for the brand.

The actress explained that she was “filming Euphoria, so I’m working 16-hour days and I don’t really bring my phone on set.” This dedicated schedule allowed her to “just put my phone away” and avoid the constant bombardment of headlines and social media comments. While she avoided the emotional toll of the controversy, she did note she was aware of the financial outcome. Sweeney claimed that reports of American Eagle’s stock numbers being down were false, saying, “I was aware of the numbers as it was going… it was all just a lot of talk.” Knowing the ad ultimately led to positive results for the company, she concluded, “it didn’t affect me one way or the other.”

Art vs. Controversy: Focus on Storytelling

Ultimately, Sydney Sweeney maintained that she will not allow external controversies to detract from the powerful stories she wishes to tell through her art.

Currently promoting her new biopic, Christy, about groundbreaking boxer Christy Martin, Sweeney addressed concerns that the controversy could discourage people from seeing her movies. She stressed that her goal is to tell “powerful story[ies]” that can open people’s eyes. Sweeney concluded that if someone is “closed off — because of something they read online — to a powerful story like Christy, then I hope that something else can open their eyes to being open to art and being open to learning, and I’m not going to be affected by that.” Her statement frames her career as a dedication to storytelling, suggesting a determination to rise above the distracting media cycles.