Sweeney: "I Joined Because I Love the Brand... Unrelated to Hate or Division"
Trump's Support Fuels Further Debate... Product Sales Surge Despite Controversy
American actress Sydney Sweeney has broken her silence and addressed the controversy surrounding a jeans advertisement she modeled for, which became embroiled in allegations of white supremacy.
On December 6 (local time), Sweeney told the American entertainment weekly People, "I only did it because I love jeans and the brand, and I do not support the interpretations that people are trying to impose on the advertisement."
The controversial advertisement is a wordplay campaign by the clothing brand American Eagle, leveraging the similar pronunciation of "jeans" and "genes." In the ad, Sweeney says, "Jeans are inherited from your parents," mentioning characteristics like hair color and eye color. The final scene zooms in on her blue eyes, ending with the line, "My jeans are blue."
Some viewers interpreted this structure as a message idealizing certain genetic traits and criticized it for evoking eugenic associations. In another version, the word "Genes" in the phrase "Great Genes" is erased and replaced with "jeans," further fueling the controversy.
In her interview with People, Sweeney expressed her frustration, saying, "I was surprised that so many people were attaching false motives and labels." She added, "I realized that remaining silent only fuels division, so I decided to speak out," emphasizing, "I am against hate and division." At the end of the interview, she said, "In the new year, I hope we focus more on what brings us together than what divides us."
A scene from Sydney Sweeney's advertisement that sparked controversy over white supremacy. Provided by American Eagle
Meanwhile, the controversy intensified as it spread to the political arena. U.S. President Donald Trump publicly defended Sweeney on social media, praising it as "the hottest ad right now," which reignited partisan debate. Some conservative figures countered that the criticism was an over-interpretation, while academics pointed out that the controversy could have been avoided if models of various races had been featured together.
Ironically, the controversy led to a surge in product popularity. The jeans worn by Sweeney in the advertisement saw such a spike in sales that they sold out in some cases. American Eagle's quarterly earnings also far exceeded market expectations, prompting the company to raise its annual performance outlook.
In contrast, Sweeney's recent film "Americana" fell short of expectations. She is now focusing on promoting her upcoming film "Housemaid," which is scheduled for release next year.
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