- The brief clip begins with a close-up of Sydney Sweeney.
- “Whenever I am wearing jean shorts, I feel free,” she says in voiceover.
- The partnership follows controversy the retailer faced over the past marketing campaign that drew criticism over accusations that its wordplay promoted eugenics, white supremacy and regressive beauty standards.
Sydney Sweeney is celebrating the Fourth of July with a bold new campaign for American Eagle. The actress takes centre stage in the brand's latest promotional video as the retailer rolls out its holiday campaign ahead of Independence Day.
Shared on the brand's YouTube channel, the brief clip begins with a close-up of Sydney. It is followed by a montage of her modelling various denim clothing pieces, including a corset top, shirt and low-rise shorts.
“Whenever I am wearing jean shorts, I feel free,” she says in voiceover. The Euphoria star is also seen posing with a sparkler before closing with, "American Eagle jean shorts." Watch the video here.
The partnership follows controversy the retailer faced over the past marketing campaign that drew criticism over accusations that its wordplay promoted eugenics, white supremacy and regressive beauty standards.
Launched in July 2025, the controversial ad for "The Sydney Jean" featured a play on words. The use of 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans' was interpreted by many people as a play on 'genes' and was called a racist tagline. A separate section of internet users argued that the ad catered to the male gaze and pointed out its similarities to Brooke Shields' controversial 1980s denim campaign.
Reacting to the outrage, Sydney Sweeney shared an emotional response on the subject in an interview with People.
The actress said, "I was honestly surprised by the reaction. I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don't support the views some people choose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren't true."
She added, "Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always trying to bring people together. 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 realise 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."
On the work front, Sydney Sweeney was last seen in Euphoria Season 3. Last month, the actress officially launched her new film and television production company, Honey Trap, alongside longtime collaborator Kaylee McGregor.