Sydney Sweeney sparked controversy once again over her American Eagle “genes” ad.
The Euphoria actress came under fire earlier this year after appearing in the denim ad, which featured a pun on her “good jeans” and “good genes.”
The campaign quickly divided viewers, with many accusing the 28-year-old of promoting eugenics and racist ideas of genetic superiority.
Sydney Sweeney has broken her silence on her American Eagle ad controversy
Image credits: Gotham/GC Images
The ad also took on political implications amid reports that Sydney is a registered Republican, and after US President Donald Trump publicly defended her during the backlash.
Speaking with GQ, Sydney addressed the criticism surrounding the campaign, making it clear that she has no intention of apologizing.
“I did a jean ad. 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,” she began.
When asked about Trump calling the ad “fantastic,” Sydney replied that it was “surreal” to have the president weigh in, but added that she didn’t pay much attention to the controversy overall.
“I kind of just put my phone away,” she said. “I was filming every day. I’m filming Euphoria, so I’m working 16-hour days and I don’t really bring my phone on set. I didn’t really see a lot of it.”
The actress stood by the campaign and refused to apologize to those who were offended
She was then questioned specifically about allegations that the ad promoted “genetic superiority,” but the actress declined to respond directly.
“I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear,” she said.
Sydney’s decision to stand by the ad reignited backlash online, with critics interpreting her response as dismissive and as confirmation that she believes in the genetic superiority of white people.
“So, Sydney Sweeney literally just came out as a white s*premacist,” one person wrote.
“Now I understand why people hate her,” another said.
“Sydney Sweeney has the mentality of an ignorant white woman who doesn’t care about anything unless it directly affects her and it’s gross and uneducated,” echoed a third.
Another user called the White Lotus star a “PR disaster.”
The ad, which some interpreted as promoting genetic superiority, featured a pun on “jeans” and “genes”
Image credits: KantInEastt
Meanwhile, others defended Sydney, arguing that she doesn’t owe anyone an apology for the ad.
“It is a commercial for jeans and her parents did give her great genes! The play on words is appropriate,” one user wrote.
“Why does she have to apologize for earning a paycheck and looking beautiful?” asked another.
“Sydney never said anything that was wrong,” added someone else.
Sydney also said it was “surreal” that Donald Trump publicly praised the campaign
In 2022, Sydney offered a more direct response to criticism after photos from her mother’s 60th birthday party circulated online. The celebration featured red “Make Sixty Great Again” hats and some attendees wearing “Blue Lives Matter” shirts, as per The Daily Mail.
The Anyone But You actress urged people to “stop making assumptions” and tweeted, “You guys, this is wild. An innocent celebration for my mom’s milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention.”
The ad at the center of the controversy was released last July and titled, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue,” the Emmy-nominated star says in the ad.
American Eagle responded to the criticism at the time, stating the ad was just about jeans, not genetics.
American Eagle previously responded to the backlash with a statement saying, “Great jeans look good on everyone”
“We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone,” the company said in a statement.
American Eagle Outfitters CEO Jay Schottenstein reported that the company’s stock surged 25% following the campaign.
In her interview with GQ, published on Tuesday (November 4), Sydney was asked whether she worried the controversies might stop people from seeing her new movie, Christy, a biopic about boxer Christy Martin.
She said she wasn’t “affected” by the negative online comments and expressed hope that audiences will “open their eyes to being open to art.”
The actress and producer was also asked whether she had ever been tempted to draft an official statement addressing the jean controversy when it erupted in July.
“I know who I am. I know what I value. I know that I’m a kind person. I know that I love a lot, and I know that I’m just excited to see what happens next. And so I don’t really let other people define who I am,” she said.
Image credits: GQ
In addition to Christy, Sydney will star in The Housemaid, the upcoming film adaptation of the bestselling novel, which is scheduled to be released on December 19. She is also attached to portray Kim Novak in Scandalous, a romantic drama to be directed by Colman Domingo.
Sydney’s response to her “genes/jeans” campaign continued to divide people on social media
