Sydney Sweeney has finally opened up about the American Eagle jeans advertisement in which she featured in July 2025. The ad had put the Euphoria actor into the spotlight in a way she did not anticipate. The use of 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans' was interpreted by many people as a play on 'genes' and called the tagline racist.
This brought the actor into the radar of hate. Not to mention a separate section of the internet users who thought that the jeans ad was catering to the male gaze and could not help but notice that it was inspired by Brooke Shields' controversial 1980 denim campaign.
Since July, many claims were made and reports were published. However, she recently shared an emotional response on the subject while speaking to People.
"I Was Honestly Surprised By The Reaction," Said Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Sweeney did not expect that the ad campaign would be blown out of proportion and receive the kind of hate it did. "I was honestly surprised by the reaction," the Anyone But You actor said.
"I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don't support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren't true," she added.
Sydney Sweeney Leads With Kindness
Sydney Sweeney told the publication that she "leads with kindness". 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," the actor said.
Sydney Sweeney Said, "All I Wear Are Jeans"
This is not the first time that Sydney has spoken on the subject. In November 2025 interview with GQ, she said, "I did a jean ad. I mean, 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 responded."
American Eagle Clarified Its Stance
In August 2025, American Eagle issued a clarification on social media. Responding to the fiasco, the brand wrote, "'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."
People also reported that despite the controversy, the brand did not face any issues to sell the denim pieces. In fact, the pieces Sydney Sweeney wore in the campaign quickly became a part of the trend with people rushing to buy them at retail stores.
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