While Sydney Sweeney has made headlines over the past year for the projects she’s debuted amid the 2025 movie schedule, she’s also turned heads for another reason. Sweeney was embroiled in a controversy this past summer involving a promotional campaign for American Eagle. This “Great Jeans” ad ignited a debate amongst pundits and fans alike, and it remains a topic of discussion months later. As the conversation continues to play out, Sweeney herself is sharing some thoughts on the backlash she’s received.
The American Eagle ad campaign was launched in late July, with Sydney Sweeney appearing in a sensual commercial that advertised the company’s denim pants. In the context of the ad, the word “jeans” was meant to be a play on words related to “genes.” Ultimately, many took issue with this, as they believed it related to the concept of eugenics or the notion that a person was superior due to their specific genetic makeup.
Not long after the video dropped, AE took to Instagram to say the ad was only about Sweeney’s “jeans” and “her story.” Over the past several months, the Christy star herself has mostly steered clear of discussing the uproar over her recent brand collaboration. She did, however, provide some comments on the matter when she recently spoke with People. During her chat with the outlet, Sweeney admitted to being surprised by the reactions to the campaign and weighed in on those who’ve been linking it to certain ideals:
I was honestly surprised by the reaction. 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.
That’s not all Sydney Sweeney had to say about the situation, either. She went on to explain how she hadn’t intended to stir up any kind of “divisiveness” and emphasized what her intentions are as a public figure:
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 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 addition to backlash, the “Great Jeans” ad also garnered a number of jokes from fans across social media. Sweeney’s younger brother, Trent, also poked fun at the situation, when posting about his promotion to staff sergeant. At the time, Trent shared a photo of his promotional certificate and captioned the post with “it’s them good jeans.” Despite the jokes and barbs that have been aimed at the ad, reports suggest that it still benefited Sydney in a number of ways.
Public relations specialists weighed in on the American Eagle controversy months ago, arguing that the clothing company handled it well by standing its ground. They also argued that Sydney Sweeney was wise to remain mum on the ad, which reportedly generated a lot of money. Whether public opinion on the matter changes due to Sweeney now having weighed in remains to be seen.