Sydney Sweeney breaks her silence on the controversial American Eagle commercial: “I’m not here to tell people what to think”
In an interview with GQ magazine, Sydney Sweeney says the controversial American Eagle ad didn't affect her: "I know my worth."
In early August, Sydney Sweeney faced one of the most high-profile cancellations in recent pop culture. The 28-year-old actress became embroiled in controversy after starring in an American Eagle advertising campaign accused of carrying racist undertones. While the Euphoria star stayed silent at the time, she has now spoken out for the first time, three months after the incident.
In an interview with GQ magazine, Sweeney insisted that the backlash hadn’t affected her “in any way,” explaining that her demanding filming schedule left her little time to follow the controversy.
“I just put my phone away,” she said. “I was filming every day. I’m filming Euphoria, so I work 16-hour days and I don’t usually bring my phone to set. I work, then I go home and sleep. I really didn’t see much of it. I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for — and it was for some great jeans — so it didn’t affect me in any way.”
When asked why she hadn’t released a statement, Sweeney explained that she didn’t see it as her role “to tell people what to think.” She emphasised that she knows her own worth and refuses to let negative criticism define her.
“When I have a problem I want to talk about, people will listen to me,” she told the magazine. “I know who I am. I know my worth. I know I’m a kind person. I know I love a lot, and I know I’m excited to see what happens next. That’s why I don’t let other people define who I am.”
The controversy stemmed from a wordplay in the ad between “genes” and “jeans.” In the video, Sweeney explains how genes determine traits such as “hair colour, personality, and even eye colour,” before ending with the line: “My jeans (genes) are blue.” The campaign slogan — “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans (genes)” — was widely criticised for implying racial superiority.
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