Hollywood doesn’t churn out bonafide movie stars quite like it used to in the age of TikTok and social media, but Sydney Sweeney is getting close. The 25-year-old, whose fame skyrocketed in career-turning roles in HBO prestige dramas Euphoria and The White Lotus, is finally getting her due with upcoming starring roles in Marvel’s Madame Web and the Barbarella remake.
But just when it seemed as though Sweeney could do no wrong, the unthinkable happened.
Over the summer, while celebrating her mother’s 60th birthday, photos surfaced of a beaming Sweeney standing next to family members wearing MAGA gear, which was evidently also the theme of the party. The entertainment industry is notoriously liberal, and republican celebrities tend to either lean into their beliefs — see Clint Eastwood, Dennis Quaid, etc. — or attempt keep their beliefs relatively close to their chest, like Chris Pratt.
The backlash machine quickly got out of hand, but fortunately for Sweeney, there was also a backlash to the backlash. In other words, those among us who don’t have conservative family members may cast the first stone.
Yet, it had to have been frustrating for Sweeney, who at the time, tweeted in her defense.
“You guys this is wild,” she wrote. “An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone and Happy Birthday Mom!”
Now, in a new GQ interview, Sweeney opened up about the controversy for the first time. “Honestly I feel like nothing I say can help the conversation,” she admitted. “It’s been turning into a wildfire and nothing I can say will take it back to the correct track.”
Telling the story means feeding a narrative Sweeney can’t control. She doesn’t mind being interviewed, but right now she’s wondering which 10 lines are going to make it into this piece and give people another version of her to contend with that isn’t quite right. Fame often seems like a spectator sport at which many are excited to see her fail.
“I’ll see people say, ‘She needs to get media training’. Why, do you want to see a robot?” she says. “I don’t think there’s any winning.” Does she read the comments? “Sadly, yes.”
That’s Sweeney’s first mistake. You never, ever, ever read the comments. But as a newcomer to this industry who got very famous in a very short period of time, we have faith that she’ll get this celeb thing down pretty soon.