Almost three years ago, Sydney Sweeney was already facing criticism online. In an interview in December of 2023 she said “the biggest misconception for me is that I’m a dumb blonde with big tits.” At the time, she was promoting Anyone But You, a rom-com that blew up thanks to her chemistry with Glen Powell, but it’s also a movie that served as her first foray into executive producing. It was clear from her relentless promotion of that movie she has talents outside of just looking pretty on the big screen, but here we are three years later and Ms. Sweeney is still facing criticism and backlash for her business and acting choices.
This past month, she’s been promoting her own lingerie line Syrn, as well as rolling out a partnership with Novig, a new sports betting app in which Sweeney is seen wearing nothing but sports equipment. The ad is set to the tagline “just sports” and it’s earned the ire of journalists and some female athletes alike, some of whom find it tasteless or offensive. To be fair, though, Sweeney signed on to the brand because it was… just sports.
Amidst all of this commentary, Sweeney’s viral W clip is making the rounds again and lots of people have thoughts. Tons of viral comments run the gamut from “you go girl” to “I think she got lost in her character and can’t tell difference anymore from real life” to “the female body is a powerful thing that doesn’t mean plaster your body in everything you do.” Lots of people online are comfortable sharing their thoughts.
These new comments make it clear Sweeney’s latest business foray sparked another round of commentary, and a lot of people have thoughts about Sweeney’s own take, which essentially states that she has the body she has, and she can’t worry about it. If you haven’t seen the clip in question, you can take a look.
I myself did not know what Novig was before the start of September, and now I do, so the sports app clearly did something we paid attention to, but the reception has maybe not been as positive for the actress promoting the service, as athletes like runner Amy Hunt and UCLA champion gymnast Gracie Kramer have spoken out. Ms. Sweeney is doubtless laughing all the way to the bank however, as she brought the idea to Novig, and not the other way around.
Sydney Sweeney seemingly has no problem with using her assets to sell everything from her role in Euphoria to her own bathwater. The context seems to be what people are objecting to; though she’s stated she feels people will talk about her body regardless, and in the last few years she’s increased her value in many ways outside of acting. She launched her own lingerie line. She has partnerships with brands like Novig and American Eagle. She’s producing some of her own movies. Plus, she’s still front-facing in big movies like the upcoming The Housemaid 2 (which is currently filling out its delightful cast). I’m sure there will be new news soon about what she’s doing next, and doubtless it will have tongues wagging.
