“I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand”- Sydney Sweeney addresses controversial American Eagle campaign

Sydney Sweeney recently addressed the controversy surrounding her American Eagle denim advertisement, opening up in an emotional People magazine interview published on December 5. The actress came under criticism for her ad campaign, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” released on July 23.

Although intended as a playful tagline, netizens and critics argued that using “jeans” as a pun on “genes” carried racial undertones and implied a notion of genetic superiority. Others accused the ad of pandering to the male gaze and drawing too heavily from Brooke Shields’ infamous 1980 denim commercial.

During the aforementioned People magazine interview, Sweeney explained that she never anticipated the backlash, emphasizing that her decision to participate in the campaign came from a genuine place of support for the brand.

“I was honestly surprised by the reaction…I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand,” Sydney Sweeney said.

She also stressed that she rejects the interpretations people attached to the campaign.

“I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true,” she added

Throughout the interview, Sweeney described herself as someone who strived to “lead with kindness.”

She explained that addressing the situation was important because she wanted to counter the negativity and clarify her intentions. She shared that anyone who knew her understood she tried to “bring people together” and that she stood firmly against “hate and divisiveness.”

“In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us,” Sydney Sweeney remarked.

More about Sydney Sweeney addressing backlash over the controversial American Eagle jeans ad

Sydney Sweeney first spoke at length about the criticism surrounding her American Eagle jeans commercial, breaking her silence in a GQ interview published on November 4. The actress offered a calm, matter-of-fact reflection on the backlash, making it clear that the uproar did not weigh heavily on her.

Sweeney explained that the conversation around the ad failed to provoke any strong emotional response from her.

“I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life,” she explained.

When asked whether American Eagle’s stock jumping 38 percent made the controversy easier to handle, Sweeney clarified that she was already aware of the real numbers behind the scenes.

She emphasized that many alarming headlines, particularly those claiming drops in in-store visits, were inaccurate and a product of speculation during the company’s quiet period.

“I was aware of the numbers as it was going. So when I saw all the headlines of in-store visits were down a certain percentage, none of it was true… it was all just a lot of talk.”

She added that knowing the ad’s purpose, promoting “great jeans”, kept her grounded, reinforcing that the online storm “didn’t affect [her] one way or the other.”

Sweeney went on to explain that her surprise over the reaction was compounded by her schedule, noting that she had distanced herself from much of the chatter while filming Euphoria. She described feeling removed from the discourse and said the attention felt excessive compared to the ad’s substance.

She also called it “surreal” that even high-profile political figures, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, weighed in on the commercial.

Following the controversy, American Eagle also publicly defended the campaign with Sydney Sweeney.

The brand reaffirmed that the concept had always centered on Sweeney’s connection to the clothing, emphasizing authenticity and individuality

“Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone,” they wrote in an Instagram post on August 2.

At present, Sydney Sweeney is promoting her upcoming film, The Housemaid, Paul Feig’s adaptation of Freida McFadden’s 2022 bestselling novel.