Sydney Sweeney says she put her cellphone away throughout the American Eagle denims advert controversy

[ad_1] Months after Sydney Sweeney confirmed off her denims in an American Eagle advert, the actress is lastly talking in regards to the controversy it created — at the least, kind of.

In an interview with GQ, the Euphoria and White Lotus actress stood by the advert whereas downplaying how a lot consideration she paid to the web back-and-forth that ensued.

“I did a jean advert. I imply, the response positively was a shock, however I really like denims. All I put on are denims. I’m actually in denims and a T-shirt day by day of my life,” Sweeney advised the journal.

Within the advert, Sweeney makes a play on phrases between denims (the clothes merchandise) and genes (the genetic materials), which some web customers learn as having eugenicist undertones. Eugenics is a discredited concept that the human race might be improved by selectively breeding for sure traits.

“Genes are handed down from mother and father to offspring, typically figuring out traits like hair coloration, character and even eye coloration. My denims are blue,” Sweeney says within the advert.

WATCH | What Sydney Sweeney's denims advert says in regards to the model's advertising: What Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle advert says in regards to the model's advertising | Hanomansing Tonight

Morgan Westcott, a advertising professor on the British Columbia Institute of Expertise, says the American Eagle advert doesn't sign a 'shift,' however reasonably displays a 'recycled idea' and a transparent name to their goal market. American Eagle responded to the backlash on the time, saying the advert was nearly denims, not about genetics.

“We’ll proceed to rejoice how everybody wears their AE denims with confidence, their approach. Nice denims look good on everybody,” the corporate mentioned in an Instagram put up.

However Sweeney stayed silent regardless of a lot media protection and on-line debate — even after U.S. President Donald Trump known as it the “HOTTEST advert on the market” and Vice-President JD Vance addressed it.

“It was surreal,” Sweeney mentioned, of the truth that the president and the vice-president responded.

The actress additionally advised GQ she was “conscious of the numbers” when American Eagle’s inventory rallied after the advert got here out and once more on Sept. 4, a day after an organization earnings name during which the corporate credited the advert with boosting their gross sales and attracting new clients.

However except for that, Sweeney mentioned she missed a lot of the social media backlash.

“I form of simply put my cellphone away. I used to be filming day by day. I’m filming Euphoria, so I’m working 16-hour days and I don’t actually convey my cellphone on set, so I work after which I'm going house and I fall asleep. So I didn’t actually see loads of it,” Sweeney mentioned.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Sydney Sweeney and boxer Christy Martin walk the red carpet for the TIFF premier of Christy on Sept. 5, 2025." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/45fd3816-128d-4138-b836-2a77506eed1c,1757114252384/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4105%2C2737%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/45fd3816-128d-4138-b836-2a77506eed1c,1757114252384/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4105%2C2737%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/45fd3816-128d-4138-b836-2a77506eed1c,1757114252384/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4105%2C2737%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/45fd3816-128d-4138-b836-2a77506eed1c,1757114252384/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4105%2C2737%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.4998173182316406" data-cy="image-img"/> Sweeney and boxer Christy Martin stroll the pink carpet for the TIFF premier of Christy in Toronto on Sept. 5. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) The actress has two forthcoming movies, together with Christy, a biography about feminine professional boxer Christy Martin’s profession and expertise with home violence, premiered on the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition earlier this 12 months.

When requested if she thought the controversy surrounding her may flip some viewers away from seeing Christy and listening to its messages about home violence, Sweeney mentioned she wasn’t anxious about that. “If any person is closed off due to one thing they learn on-line … then I hope that one thing else can open their eyes,” she mentioned.