Lately, Sydney Sweeney has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons in the world. Controversy has become her middle name, a dark cloud that perpetually hovers over her head, as she doubles down on a stance that can cost her everything.
The GQ Interview
Sydney Sweeney has sparked outrage yet again. After her American Eagle jeans ad was widely interpreted as containing racially charged undertones, GQ magazine gave her a chance to come clean in an interview. But she not only refused to clear the air but also failed to issue a simple apology for what was an obvious racist campaign in the guise of an ad. No doubt it did wonders for the brand, but so far, it has proven to sabotage Sydney’s career.
When the interviewer gave her the chance to speak on the matter, she dodged the question like a big missile headed in her direction with careful pauses that mimicked contemplation and introspection. Granted that the interviewer seemed to have quietly ambushed her into giving a direct answer, but the opportunity was still an opportunity. And a wrong could have been undone, leaving her past and present untarnished.
Yes, she answers it. But she says nothing. She is neither wilfully ignorant nor dim-witted. Rather, she is clever, in fact, too clever for her own good, as she doubles down on a stance that many have labelled bigoted. She does so with an air of slight arrogance, which has landed her amidst just as much backlash as the last time. At this moment, Sydney’s stubbornness and refusal have left her exposed not by what she has said but by what she hasn’t.
However, she does say very gleefully as to how surreal it felt when the President acknowledged her, a President widely criticised for being an advocate of a myriad of prejudiced beliefs himself. But maybe she is merely returning the public praise from the President, who had commented on her American Eagle, saying that it is the hottest ad out there.
Sydney vs Christy
With the recent release of her new film, Christy, Sydney has managed a feat no other star has — delivering three flops in a row in the same year. As if the serious lack of marketing by the studio was not enough, her public controversies made sure that the true story of an American boxer struggled to find an audience. Whether for publicity, good or bad, or because she wants to stick true to her beliefs, Sydney has ensured her own film dies a gruesome death at the box office.
Perhaps not only because they chose someone who critics argue has yet to demonstrate her acting chops, but also because they chose someone who wallows in the pit of controversy almost every other day. Ironically, to tell a tale of feminism and female strength, grit and power, the studio went for an actress who markets herself through a hyper-sexualised persona tailored for the male gaze. From selling her soapwater bodywash to emphasising her bosom and posterior to marketing jeans, she has clearly found her target audience, as all her campaigns have been financially successful so far.
But the same fanbase, which, let’s be honest, primarily consists of conservatives and right-wingers, much like herself, failed to show up for this tale of feminism. Perhaps because, for the first time in ages, Sydney decided to do some work that actually matters, which does not exactly cater to the interests of her usual audience. And the people who would have flooded the theatres for a good film were too enraged to show up for her when it mattered, rightfully so.
Sydney Faces Heat from her Colleagues and the Online Jury
Celebrities and her colleagues alike have turned their backs on her publicly. Aimee Lou Wood merely commented a vomiting emoji on the post of her GQ interview, but Zendaya has outright refused to do press for Euphoria along with Sydney after the recent debacle.
A source close to her conveys that she does not want anyone to see her as someone who would excuse her for praising Trump and doing a racist ad. Actress Ruby Rose, who had auditioned for the role, eventually losing out to Sydney, issued a bitter statement saying, “You’re a cretin and you ruined the film. Period. Christy deserved better”.
Following the internet’s tradition of rolling out memes, the audience has given their judgment: go woke or go broke. A judgment which, if Sydney is wise, will be used as a lesson and if not, will remain as a stain and a mark of shame on her career.
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