Sydney Sweeney is finally speaking out about the controversy that erupted over her American Eagle denim campaign, saying critics have unfairly labeled her with motives she never had.
The actress told People magazine in an interview published on Dec. 5 that she was caught off guard by the intense backlash to the July advertisement. The campaign, which carried the tagline "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans," drew criticism from people who saw troubling racial undertones in the wordplay between "jeans" and "genes.”
"I was honestly surprised by the reaction," Sweeney said. "I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. 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."
The commercial, which launched on July 23, sparked debate across social media. Some critics argued the pun hinted at genetic superiority.
Sweeney told the magazine she decided to break her usual silence because staying quiet was making things worse, not better.
"Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always trying to bring people together. I'm against hate and divisiveness," she said. "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."
The actress described herself as someone who "leads with kindness" and wanted to set the record straight.
American Eagle jumped to defend the campaign shortly after it launched. The brand posted a statement on Instagram on Aug. 1 pushing back against the criticism.
"'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story," the company wrote. "We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."
Sweeney first addressed the controversy publicly during an interview with GQ magazine for its "Men of the Year" cover story published on Nov. 4.
When GQ asked if she was surprised by the reaction, Sweeney kept her answer simple.
"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 said.
American Eagle posted operating income of $103 million for the quarter ending on Aug. 2—a 2 percent increase from the previous year on revenue of $1.28 billion. The performance marked the second-highest enterprise revenues ever recorded for a second quarter in company history.
Executive Chairman and CEO Jay Schottenstein credited marketing campaigns featuring Sweeney and NFL star Travis Kelce for bringing in new customers.
"Fueled by stronger product offerings and the success of recent marketing campaigns with Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce, we have seen an uptick in customer awareness, engagement, and comparable sales," Schottenstein said.
The campaign even received an unexpected boost from President Donald Trump, who praised the advertisement in August after learning Sweeney had registered as a Republican voter.
"She's a registered Republican?" Trump said while speaking to reporters in Pennsylvania in early August. "Oh. Now I love her ad! Is that right? Sydney Sweeney … You'd be surprised how many people are Republicans. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic."