How This Year's Oscars Will Be Defined by Two A-Listers' 'B--- Wars' — With Sydney Sweeney at Center of the Feud

OK! can reveal Sydney Sweeney has inadvertently sparked what insiders are calling this awards season's most unlikely rivalry – a behind-the-scenes Oscars "b--- war" that has pitted her against Kylie Jenner in a battle of image, attention and old-fashioned Hollywood s-- appeal.

With the Academy Awards looming in Los Angeles next month, the 2026 race has already been shaped by red carpet theater and viral moments.

Sweeney, 28, has dominated headlines with a series of plunging gowns promoting her erotic thriller The Housemaid, while beauty mogul and billionaire Jenner, also 28, became a talking point at the Critics Choice Awards when her partner, Timothée Chalamet, 30, publicly thanked her during his Best Actor speech.

Photographs of Jenner mouthing "I love you" in a low-cut black sequined dress ricocheted across social media. Yet industry sources say beyond the glamour, tensions have flared as Sweeney's rising star – and her much-discussed figure – draws relentless attention on red carpets.

An insider close to the Kardashian-Jenner circle said: "There's a growing feeling around this awards season that the red carpet has become its own arena, separate from the films themselves. It's less about who delivered the most nuanced performance and more about who dominates the imagery the next morning. Sydney has had an extraordinary year in terms of visibility, and she's leaned unapologetically into that classic Hollywood siren aesthetic – the plunging gowns, the curvy silhouettes, the knowing nods to Marilyn. It's changed the temperature of the conversation and what the stars are basically embroiled in is b--- wars."

"Kylie is used to being the person everyone is dissecting – the outfit, the body, the moment. Suddenly, there's another woman absorbing that oxygen in a very similar lane of glamour, and Kylie feels it. It's not that she begrudges Sydney's success, but she's acutely aware that the spotlight isn't fixed in one place this year, and that's unsettling for her," the insider dished.

Sweeney has openly embraced comparisons to Marilyn Monroe during recent premieres in New York and Los Angeles, stepping out in gowns designed to accentuate her hour-glass silhouette.

Critics have argued that such displays risk overshadowing her acting credentials, though Sweeney has continued to secure high-profile roles.

Jenner, meanwhile, confirmed in 2023 she had undergone b----- augmentation at 19, performed by Dr. Garth Fisher, after years of speculation about her figure.

She had previously attributed her changing shape to weight fluctuations and pregnancy before acknowledging the surgery. Last year, she even shared technical details with a fan who praised what they called the "most perfect looking natural b--- job ever."

But a source added: "Despite her plastic surgery and claims she has the perfect body, when Sydney's name comes up, Kylie's mood shifts. She won't admit to jealousy publicly, especially around Timothée, but privately it's been difficult."

"Sydney is everywhere right now – on magazine covers, in casting rumors, on every best-dressed list – and that level of saturation has intensified Kylie's insecurities," they added.

Rumors have swirled Sweeney could appear in a future James Bond installment, while Chalamet's name has also been floated in speculation about the next 007.

Though there is no confirmed collaboration, insiders say even a hypothetical overlap is fueling tension with Jenner.

A source familiar with Sweeney's camp insisted the actress finds the idea of a rivalry perplexing.

They added: "Sydney isn't naive – she knows how this town works and she's well aware that when people start comparing two women, it rarely stays subtle. 'Of course she's heard the chatter. Assistants talk, stylists talk, publicists talk. In Hollywood, even the quietest rumor finds its way back to you eventually. But from her point of view, the idea of a rivalry is overblown. She doesn't see herself occupying the same space as Kylie professionally.

They added: "Sydney is chasing scripts, directors and long-term acting credibility. Kylie operates in fashion, beauty and brand culture. In Sydney's mind, those are very different tracks."She's also very clear that she's not interested in anyone else's partner or personal life. Her energy right now is going into work – developing projects, preparing for roles, building longevity. If other people want to frame it as a feud, that's on them. She's not playing that game."