Sydney Sweeney is making headlines, but not for her jeans. The 27-year-old actress recently made it clear she’s all about her latest film, ‘Christy’. She’s not interested in discussing a clothing ad that stirred up some strong opinions.
"I am here to support my movie and the people involved in making it, not to talk about jeans," Sweeney told Vanity Fair in a profile. This interview came out on Thursday, September 4th, right before ‘Christy’ premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She added, "The movie is about Christy, and that’s what I’ll talk about."
Sydney Sweeney plays Christy Martin in the upcoming movie. Martin was a famous boxer from the 1990s. The film tells her life story.
Before ‘Christy’ hit the big screen, Sweeney became the face of American Eagle’s denim line. An August ad campaign used the catchy phrase, "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans." This phrase played on words, meaning both good denim pants and good genetics. Many fans, however, took it the wrong way. They thought it hinted at eugenics, a discredited idea about improving human genes.
An entertainment news outlet, Us Weekly, previously reported that Sweeney felt the whole thing was overblown. An insider told the publication at the time, "Sydney thinks all this has been exaggerated. She’s focusing her energy on work."
American Eagle also stood by its campaign. The company released a statement explaining the slogan. "‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is, and always has been, about jeans. Her jeans. Her story," the statement read. "We will continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, in their own way. Great jeans fit everyone."
Weeks later, Sweeney spoke to WSJ. Magazine about how she chooses her endorsements carefully. In that interview, published last month, she shared her approach. "I think it’s important to be aware of what people are saying," Sweeney explained. "Everything is a conversation with the public."
Sweeney isn’t dwelling on the American Eagle fuss. She’s fully committed to sharing Christy Martin’s powerful story. She even gained 14 kilos for the role, a big change for her.
"I was surprised her story wasn’t more globally known," she shared with Vanity Fair. "She’s one of the most heartbreaking and inspiring women I’ve met in my life." Sweeney found the transformation empowering. "I felt very strong and powerful. I loved it. To be able to lose myself and become a vehicle for someone else is my dream."
Getting ready for the film also meant learning how to box. Sweeney put in the hard work, mastering the sport’s moves.
"My stances and much of my technique are different from boxing," she told the outlet. "You plant differently and, of course, you’re not thrown to the ground; everything happens standing up… In every fight you see [in the movie], we are really hitting each other. We go full force."
She believes this commitment to realism was crucial. "I always believed it wouldn’t be possible for it to look real if a stunt double was used or if the punches were faked," she noted.