Sydney Sweeney is everywhere these days, only not in the roles you might expect. She’s the subject of a media firestorm over her recent American Eagle commercial, which follows up another controversial ad campaign where Dr. Squatch sold soap bars containing bathwater Sweeney bathed in. Sweeney also starred in a 2025 Super Bowl ad for Hellman’s, while Baskin-Robbins has a new signature scoop and fizz named after her. She’s a successful actress, so why is Sydney Sweeney doing so many commercials?
Sweeney told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022 why she takes so many commercial gigs: “I don’t have someone supporting me, I don’t have anyone I can turn to, to pay my bills or call for help.” It appears as though it’s a matter of making as much money as possible despite being a successful actor. Sweeney noted that being a household name isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. “They don’t pay actors like they used to, and with streamers, you no longer get residuals,” she continued. “The established stars still get paid, but I have to give 5 percent to my lawyer, 10 percent to my agents, 3 percent or something like that to my business manager.”
At least she isn’t hurting for work. “Euphoria” Season 3 is finally getting off the ground, and “Anyone But You” was a box office smash that reinvigorated the romantic-comedy genre. Outside of “Madame Web,” she’s largely been in small-budget affairs over the last couple of years such as “Immaculate,” “Eden,” and “Echo Valley.” Commercials are a way for her to stay afloat: “If I just acted, I wouldn’t be able to afford my life in L.A.,” she said. “I take deals because I have to.”
What’s going on with Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad?
All of Sydney Sweeney’s hard work appears to have paid off. She was able to purchase a house in Los Angeles, and it seems like she’s found a balance between work that means something to her and jobs that’ll pay the bills. She plays the title role of Christy Martin in the boxer’s upcoming biopic, and will also appear in Paul Feig’s upcoming psychological thriller, “The Housemaid.” Those are not necessarily million-dollar paydays, but one does wonder if the controversies that seem to follow her with her ad campaigns are worth the extra cash.
Sweeney’s American Eagle commercial has launched countless think pieces and hot takes across social media due to the dialogue: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” Some have claimed this promotes eugenics, a discredited concept that’s been used to promote white supremacy, which is only more contentious in the face of a presidential administration that’s grown increasingly hostile toward immigrants. Of course, there’s backlash to the backlash, with conservatives claiming that Democrats are mad simply because Sweeney is beautiful. The news that Sweeney registered as a Republican in Florida before the 2024 election has only stirred the pot further, with both Donald Trump and JD Vance weighing in to show their support.
Is the American Eagle ad a dog whistle, or did the company just realize “jeans” sounds like “genes?” Regardless, don’t expect Sweeney go stop taking commercial jobs anytime soon.
