Sydney Sweeney has definitively taken a stand “against hate,” months after her controversial American Eagle jeans campaign sparked immediate backlash online — with some critics even likening it to Nazi propaganda.
“I was honestly surprised by the reaction,” she told People in an emotional interview published late Friday. “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 campaign, which first aired back in July, is made up of a slew of sexy shots of the 27-year-old actress sporting American Eagle Denim. It’s since been accused of containing racial undertones given that its tagline, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” is an obvious play on words, suggesting the actress — who’s white with blonde hair and blue eyes — has “great genes.”
For some, the ad appeared to be promoting the Nazi-embraced theory of eugenics and white supremacy, while others criticized the campaign for catering to the male gaze.
Amid the backlash and news emerging that Sweeney is a registered Republican, President Trump championed the actress, calling her campaign “the HOTTEST ad out there.” Republican Sen. Ted Cruz slammed “the crazy left” for what he called an attack “against beautiful women.”
In early August, American Eagle doubled down with a statement on social media, writing: “‘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.”
Then, the Euphoria actress followed suit, repeatedly refusing to apologize when asked to address the controversy in previous interviews.
“I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear,” she said when pressed by GQ.
But now, she’s taking a different approach and revealing how she feels about the situation.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness,” she told People.
“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,” Sweeney continued. “So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.”
