Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney has finally addressed the backlash surrounding her American Eagle jeans campaign, revealing that she never felt the need to defend herself publicly despite the uproar.
In an exclusive interview with GQ magazine, the Euphoria actress said she stayed calm throughout the controversy. “I know who I am. I know what I value. I know that I’m a kind person,” shared the 28-year-old actress confidently.
Reflecting on the reaction, the Anyone But You star admitted that the outrage caught her by surprise. “I did a jean ad. The reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans — all I wear are jeans,” Sweeney explained. “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.”
The Immaculate and Madame Web actress emphasized that she never lets public opinion define her. “I love a lot and I’m just excited to see what happens next,” she added.
Sweeney also reacted to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s unexpected support for her amid the controversy, calling it “surreal.” “It was wild to learn that he even had an opinion about the ad,” she said.
Revealing how she coped with the online criticism, Sydney shared that she barely noticed it. “I kind of just put my phone away. I was filming every day — working 16-hour days on Euphoria. I didn’t really see a lot of it.”
The actress is currently gearing up for the release of her new psychological thriller, Christy, hitting theatres on November 7, 2025.