Sydney Sweeney Speaks Out About Her “Silence” Amid American Eagle Ad Backlash.
Sydney Sweeney is responding to criticism of her contentious American Eagle advertisement. The Euphoria actress addressed her choice to remain silent in the face of criticism, acknowledging that she regrets not speaking out sooner, months after she starred in a denim campaign for the apparel company that utilized the word "jeans" as a play on genetic genes, causing a wave of public anger.
"Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together,” in a December 5 interview, she informed People. “I’m against hate and divisiveness. 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. So, I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us."
Sydney, 28, said that the unfavorable reaction to the advertisement "surprised" her, but she underlined that the controversy did not represent her personal views.
Register for Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 19 (Feb 9 – May 2, 2026): big discounts for early bird.
Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations.
Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and co-invest in great global startups.
Register for Tekedia AI Lab: From Technical Design to Deployment (next edition begins Jan 24 2026).
“I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign,” she revealed. “Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.”
Sydney previously defended her motivation for participating in the project and talked about the negative responses to the ad in November.
“I did a jean ad,” at the moment, the actress tells GQ. “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.”
Even though many prominent people had strong feelings about the advertisement, Sydney insisted that it "didn't affect" her, saying, "I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was great jeans."