Sydney Sweeney has emerged as a high-profile actress in Hollywood, and her star only seems to be rising. As Sweeney’s position within the entertainment industry continues to grow, so does chatter about her overall place in pop culture. Many have since deemed the 28-year-old A-lister a “sex symbol” due to her physical appearance and the kinds of roles she takes on. Sweeney herself is aware of the way she’s perceived by the public and, on that note, she recently addressed that aforementioned designation in a positive way.
The Euphoria star was recently named a Woman of Power honoree by Variety and, with that, she engaged in a lengthy chat with the trade. As the conversation progressed, talk of Sweeney’s characters – and how some people can’t distinguish between them and her – came up. Sweeney is of the opinion that a number of people have preconceived notions about her that are incorrect and, as far as being called a sex symbol goes, she looks at it from a fresh perspective:
I play a lot of very divisive characters, and I think that a lot of people think they know me, but they don’t. So when people think, ‘Ah, she’s a sex symbol,’ or ‘She’s leaning into that,’ I’m like, ‘No, I just feel good and I’m doing it for myself and I feel strong.’ And I hope that I can inspire other women to be confident and just flaunt what they got and feel good because you shouldn’t have to apologize or hide or cover up in any room.
So, while Sydney Sweeney has played characters that are more sensual like Euphoria’s Cassie and Anyone but You’s Bea, those qualities don’t necessarily pertain to her. Additionally, while some claim Sweeney plays into the hype – by selling soap containing her bathwater and more – that’s all apparently born out of sheer self-confidence. It’s cool that the self-aware star feels comfortable with showing off her body and relishes doing so on her own terms. The notion of her wanting to spread that confident mentality is also admirable.
Being a public figure still hasn’t been completely easy for Sweeney, though, as she’s dealt with a level of scrutiny in regard to her body. In 2024, Sweeney went viral for sharing some of the worst comments she’s received from people who’ve shamed her on social media. The Immaculate star also admitted that when she was young, she even worried that showing off her “assets” could make people get the wrong idea about her. Nevertheless, just as she expressed during her interview with Variety, Sweeney previously said that any kind of trepidation was outweighed by confidence.
Armed with that self-assured demeanor, Sydney Sweeney has been channeling that into her career, as she’s been seeking to challenge herself with a variety of roles. Her latest film is the boxing biopic Christy, in which she plays the titular role. In order to play Christy Martin, Sweeney really committed, as she not only built a Rocky-style gym to train in but also gained roughly 30 lbs. of muscle before the cameras started rolling. And, based on the trailers, Sweney’s portrayal of Christy Martin is less glamorous than many of her other roles.
It would appear, at this point, that Sweeney has firmly planted herself within the pop culture zeitgeist. Admittedly, there will surely still be those who refer to her as a sex symbol due to some of the choices she makes. However, based on the recent comments she shared, it seems Sweeney isn’t going to let any outside chatter dictate what she does and doesn’t do with her career.
See Sydney Sweeney in Christy, which opens in theaters on November 7 as part of the 2025 movie schedule. Sweeney’s next flick – The Housemaid – is also set to hit cinemas on December 25.