Sydney Sweeney has been the center of social media conversations as of late— and it’s not looking too good for the “Euphoria” star. With the upcoming release of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” movie in Spring 2026, some people are unsure whether they will support the film because she’s in it given her myriad of controversies. But, where is the anger coming from?
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The core of this controversy stems from American Eagle’s partnership with Sweeney to launch the “Sydney Sweeney Has Good Jeans” campaign. The slogan was a play on the words “jeans”/ “genes” to promote the limited edition item, “The Sydney Jean.” Since the campaign launched, people are not happy, interpreting the “good genes” messaging promoted by a prominent white celebrity as an insensitive joke that invokes concepts related to racial superiority.
And what ticked people off even more? Sydney’s seemingly dismissive attitude when she had the chance to address the controversy.
During a recent GQ interview, the interviewer offered Sweeney an opportunity to speak on the matter, asking, “Is there something you want to say about the ad it self, the ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’?”
“The ad spoke for itself,” Sweeney responded.
The interviewer went on to explain that the criticism centered on “how white people shouldn’t joke about racial superiority” and again offered her an opportunity to address the concern directly. Showing no expression, Sweeney responded, “When I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.” Chile, please.
When social media caught wind of her statement, they began unloading their clips with comments about the star. The anger wasn’t just about the ad itself, but about her refusal to acknowledge the harm the message caused. Most didn’t hold back from calling out her dismissiveness, confirming that the issue was not hers to own. We even reported that her HBO co-star Zendaya wants no parts of her during the promotion of “Euphoria’s” upcoming season.
“Yep. And this is why Zendaya won’t work with her now,” TikTok creator Reyah The Last Dragon said in her video.
Sweeney’s position is not only unsurprising to many, but also expected by some, especially given that the brand still saw a 25% increase in its stock price despite the backlash.
Fans spoke out about Sweeney’s behavior, demanding accountability. “The way I would pick not being viewed as a racist over a bunch of money any day!” one TikTok user commented.
Others, however, are proud of Zendaya for allegedly distancing herself, with one posting on X, saying, “Zendaya refusing to be associated with a white supremacist republican woman….woke is back, and we are so proud of her for this.”
The internet remains divided, with some saying they didn’t find anything wrong with her comment. “As a Black man, people are reaching with this one,” one TikTok user said. “I didn’t find anything wrong with the ad.”
Another wrote: “I would have responded the same. How ridiculous for a denim ad to be turned into this nonsense.”
Ultimately, the public focus has shifted from the American Eagle campaign to Sweeney’s mishandling of a social issue. With her lack of accountability, one Threads user summarized it best: “Sydney Sweeney’s GQ interview is a reminder that ‘not having a stance’ on white supremacy is 100% having a stance on white supremacy.” Clock it!
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