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Sydney Sweeney has finally addressed the uproar surrounding her now-infamous American Eagle jeans ad, and even she's surprised by how big it got.
In a new GQ interview, the Euphoria star, 28, reflected on the summer controversy that sparked endless memes, political takes, and think pieces. "I did a jean ad," she said plainly. "The reaction was definitely a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I'm literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day."
The "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" campaign dropped in July and instantly set social media on fire. The clip showed Sweeney saying, "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring... My jeans are blue," as she buttoned up her denim. Critics called it tone-deaf, even "eugenics-coded," while fans accused the internet of reaching for outrage.
Things escalated when Donald Trump, 79, praised the actress after reports surfaced she's a registered Republican. "She's a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad," he joked in August. Vice President JD Vance chimed in too, calling Democrats "unhinged" for attacking a "pretty girl selling jeans."
Sweeney told GQ she didn't dwell on the noise. "I kind of just put my phone away," she explained. "I was filming Euphoria 16 hours a day, I'd work, go home, and sleep. I didn't really see much of it."
Still, she knew the ad was performing. "When I saw headlines saying in-store visits were down, none of it was true," she said. "I was aware of the numbers, the jeans were doing great."
American Eagle's stock soared 25 percent in the weeks after the campaign. CEO Jay Schottenstein credited Sweeney and Travis Kelce's joint promotions for "meaningful business improvement."
For her part, Sweeney isn't apologizing. "I know who I am. I know what I value," she said. "If someone chooses not to see my work because of a jeans ad, that's on them. I'm not here to tell people what to think."
