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Sydney Sweeney is finally addressing the American Eagle jeans controversy more directly. After months of trying to avoid adding fuel to the fire, the Housemaid actress tells People that she doesn’t align with the views and assumptions that came from the backlash. “I was honestly surprised by the reaction,” Sweeney explained. “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.” The Euphoria star also shares that she has some regrets for not speaking out sooner. “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness,” she continues. “In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realize 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.”
In the original advertisement from July 2025, Sweeney used jeans and genes interchangeably, leading some to interpret the campaign as implying that she is attractive for having good genetics and pants. “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color,” she said in the advertisement. “My jeans are blue.” For some viewers, it felt like Sweeney and American Eagle were implying that Sweeney’s biological traits, like blonde hair and blue eyes, were superior. She refused to discuss the controversy during the press tours for the movies Christy and Americana, but later, in her November GQ profile, she said she loves wearing jeans, nothing more. “I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was great jeans; it didn’t affect me one way or the other,” she explained. “When I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.”
