NEWSUnbothered Sydney Sweeney Explains Why She Stayed Silent on 'Surreal' American Eagle Jeans Ad Backlash
Sydney Sweeney reflected on her American Eagle drama after months of ignoring the hot topic.
Nov. 4 2025, Published 10:51 a.m. ET
Sydney Sweeney is finally speaking out on the chaos that ensued over her American Eagle jeans ad.
Despite receiving a ton of backlash for the campaign — in which the slogan "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" was accused of promoting eugenics — the actress brushed off the drama.
'I'm Not Here to Tell People What to Think'
Sydney Sweeney confessed she wasn't affected by the backlash over her controversial American Eagle ad campaign.
"I did a jean ad," she simply noted to GQ. "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."
"I’ve always believed that I’m not here to tell people what to think. I know who I am. I know what I value. I know that I’m a kind person," she explained of why she stayed silent. "I know that I love a lot, and I know that I’m just excited to see what happens next. And so I don’t really let other people define who I am."
The Actress Admitted the Backlash Was 'Surreal'
The actress didn't speak up during the drama because 'I'm not here to tell people what to think.'
The blonde beauty admitted seeing people such as Vice President J.D. Vance sound off on the drama was "surreal."
When asked if she was grateful for other famous faces showing her their support, she replied, "I don’t think…. It’s not that I didn’t have that feeling, but I wasn’t thinking of it like that, of any of it. I kind of just put my phone away."
"I was filming every day. I’m filming Euphoria, so I’m working 16-hour days and I don’t really bring my phone on set, so I work and then I go home and I go to sleep," Sweeney shared. "So I didn’t really see a lot of it."
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Sydney Sweeney Defends Denim Campaign
The blonde bombshell said she focused on her work as the drama unfolded.
"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 made up, but nobody could say anything because [the company was] in their quiet period," the Christy star continued. "So it was all just a lot of talk. And because I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was great jeans, it didn’t affect me one way or the other."
How American Eagle Reacted
The 'Euphoria' star said she doesn't 'let other people define who I am.'
Amid the backlash over the campaign, which debuted in July, the brand spoke out to defend the advertisements.
"Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story," they stated. "We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."
