Sweeney recently defended her bathwater campaign after she found herself at the center of another online controversy.
Sydney Sweeney for her American Eagle campaign.American Eagle
Matt Rife speaks to the crowd during Gulf Coast Jam on May 31.Getty Images
“I think it’s important to have a finger on the pulse of what people are saying, because everything is a conversation with the audience,” she told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Aug. 20.
“It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting,” she explained. “They all loved the idea of Jacob Elordi’s bathwater.”
Sydney Sweeney attends a special screening of “Americana” on Aug. 4.Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA
Sweeney was referring to how in Elordi’s 2023 movie “Saltburn,” Barry Keoghan’s character drinks bathwater after Elordi’s Felix had pleasured himself in the tub. Fans ended up creating a “Bathwater Candle” inspired by the moment.
The “Anyone But You” actress also dealt with online hate over her American Eagle partnership .
Left-wing critics users claimed that the ad — which features the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” — was full-on Nazi propaganda that promotes racism, eugenics and Western beauty standards.
Sydney Sweeney for her American Eagle campaign.American Eagle
Sydney Sweeney in her ad for American Eagle.American Eagle
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,” Sweeney said in the American Eagle video. “My jeans are blue.”
American Eagle quickly defended the company’s campaign with a public statement.
“This campaign is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her narrative. We will continue to honor the unique ways everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence,” the company said on Aug. 1. “Great jeans flatter everyone.”
Sydney Sweeney promoting American Eagle jeans.American Eagle
Some stars, like Lizzo and Doja Cat, took to social media to ridicule Sweeney and American Eagle over the controversy.
But other public figures like Dr. Phil and even President Donald Trump defended Sweeney from the backlash .
Sydney Sweeney for American Eagle.American Eagle
stock rose more than 10% immediately after the new campaign kicked off on July 23.
Sweeney has avoided speaking directly about the controversy.
