Sydney Sweeney Breaks Silence on American Eagle “Great Jeans” Controversy
The Euphoria star opens up about the denim campaign that spiraled into a political flashpoint and why she says the backlash “was a surprise.”
Los Angeles, November 4 EST: After months of silence, Sydney Sweeney has finally addressed the storm surrounding her controversial American Eagle campaign a denim ad that unexpectedly became a flashpoint in this year’s culture wars.
Sweeney Says Backlash “Was a Surprise”
In her first public comments since the controversy erupted in July, the 27-year-old actor told GQ that the reaction to the “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign caught her off guard. “I did a jean ad,” she said. “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.”
The campaign, launched by American Eagle in late July, played on the double meaning of the words “jeans” and “genes.” In one video, Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down… My jeans are blue.” The tongue-in-cheek wordplay was meant to highlight her personal connection to denim and the brand’s heritage. Instead, it sparked accusations online of promoting ideas tied to genetic superiority a notion critics said flirted with eugenics-era language.
American Eagle Defends “Playful” Concept
According to People, the backlash quickly spread across social media, with users calling the campaign tone-deaf and racially charged. American Eagle defended the work, saying in a statement that it “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.”
The brand chose not to pull the ads or issue an apology, even as the debate escalated and political figures began to weigh in. Donald Trump publicly praised the ad, calling it “refreshing” a comment that, in turn, fueled more online controversy.
A Cultural Flashpoint Beyond Fashion
By early August, the discussion had leapt from fashion blogs to mainstream outlets and political commentary shows. Some conservative pundits framed the uproar as another example of “cancel culture run amok,” while critics argued that brands must be more aware of the historical baggage that certain language carries.
According to The Independent, American Eagle’s CEO later acknowledged the furor, defending the campaign as a test of authenticity. “You can’t run from fear,” he said, noting that despite the criticism, the company saw a rise in new customer engagement.
That said, not all reports about its commercial performance were positive. Some outlets cited alleged “in-store traffic declines” in the weeks following the campaign launch a narrative Sweeney dismissed in her GQ profile, saying she believed “some of those numbers were off.”
Sweeney Steps Away From the Noise
For Sweeney, who’s spent the past few years moving from breakout roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus to producing her own projects, the controversy unfolded while she was on set. “I kind of just put my phone away,” she told GQ. “I was filming every day, so I didn’t really see a lot of it.”
She described the attention which included both memes and political commentary as “surreal.” Still, she avoided assigning blame, keeping her remarks focused on the work rather than the uproar. “I did a jean ad,” she repeated simply.
A Brand Stands Firm
Meanwhile, American Eagle has continued to feature Sweeney across its marketing platforms, though with more muted messaging in recent months. The brand’s latest social media content highlights sustainability and comfort, suggesting a quiet pivot without directly referencing the “Great Jeans” campaign.
Industry analysts told E! Online that the situation underscored a growing challenge for fashion advertisers: how to balance irony and inclusivity in an era where every line of copy can become a flashpoint. “It’s not just about the slogan anymore,” one branding expert noted. “It’s about how quickly a joke can become a headline.”
Politics Meets Pop Culture
The ad’s viral moment was turbocharged when Donald Trump and J.D. Vance publicly defended Sweeney on social media, effectively turning a denim promotion into a cultural litmus test. Their comments meant as support also deepened the divide, positioning Sweeney as an unwitting symbol in a political conversation she never intended to join.
Neither Trump nor Vance has since commented further, but the episode added another layer to the already volatile intersection of celebrity, politics, and advertising.
Where Things Stand Now
As of early November, Sweeney’s remarks have largely reset the narrative. The GQ Men of the Year feature frames her not as a provocateur but as an actress caught in the crossfire of internet discourse. “It’s a reminder,” one pop culture columnist wrote this week, “of how quickly the meaning of an ad can spin out of its creator’s control.”
No new campaigns or statements from American Eagle have been announced, and Sweeney’s partnership with the brand remains intact. Her next project a high-profile thriller due for release in early 2026 may soon shift public focus back to her acting career.
Still, the “Great Jeans” saga will likely linger as one of 2025’s strangest pop culture collisions: a lighthearted fashion spot that turned into a Rorschach test for America’s cultural anxieties.
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A bi-coastal pop culture critic and former indie screenwriter, Gia covers Hollywood, streaming wars, and subculture shifts with razor wit and Gen Z intuition. If it’s going viral, she already knew about it.
