Sydney Sweeney Finally Addresses American Eagle Backlash After 4 Months

Sydney Sweeney is finally breaking her silence on the American Eagle controversy that sparked months of online chatter, and she is just as shocked as anyone by the outrage.

What is more surprising? Despite the noise, a poll later showed that fewer than 20% of Americans actually found the ad offensive.

Sydney Sweeney's "jeans/genes" pun in American Eagle's new campaign rubbed some viewers the wrong way, with claims that the ad carried an uncomfortable undertone.

The actress addressed the backlash in her new GQ "Men of the Year" cover story, marking the first time she has spoken about the viral ad since its release.

The campaign, titled "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans," sparked debate online, with some critics claiming it sent the wrong message. When asked if she saw the backlash coming, Sweeney admitted she did not. 

"I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans," she said plainly, explaining that denim is her everyday staple. The 28-year-old reportedly remained calm when the conversation turned political.

Asked about accusations of "genetic superiority" jokes, she made it clear she would speak up when something truly matters to her. Even more "surreal," she added, was seeing both President Donald Trump weigh in on the denim commercial.

While setting the record straight about the ad that took over the internet, Sweeney let it be known that she is not losing sleep over it. The TV personality revealed that despite the viral chatter, much of what was said about the campaign's impact was false.

She explained that claims about the company's in-store decline were "all made up," adding that American Eagle could not respond at the time due to being in a quiet period. Still, she was not fazed.

"It was all just a lot of talk. I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was great jeans, it didn't affect me one way or the other," she stated simply.

When asked if she appreciated public support from other significant figures apart from Trump, Sweeney downplayed the moment. Between her filming schedule and long days on set, she admitted she barely paid attention to the noise online. 

Sweeney's calm response to the American Eagle uproar now makes perfect sense, as it turns out, most people did not even care. As reported by The Blast, an Economist/YouGov poll revealed that only 12% of Americans were actually offended by the viral campaign.

The rest either thought it was clever or had no opinion at all. Roughly 39% of respondents called the ad witty, 40% did not see what the fuss was about, and 8% stayed undecided.

The numbers also showed that men were more likely than women to find the campaign clever, 49% versus 31%, while women were slightly more likely to call it offensive.

Politics and age also played a role: 57% of Republicans thought it was a clever ad compared to just 22% of Democrats, and younger adults seemed to enjoy it more than older ones.

The AE campaign may have impressed fans and even Trump, but the president could not resist turning his praise into another jab at Swift.

The Blast reported that Trump took to Truth Social to celebrate Sweeney's success, calling her jeans campaign "the hottest thing," crediting her influence for driving massive sales.

But in typical Trump fashion, the compliment came with a side of shade. He took a swing at Swift, boasting that after he called her out, she "was booed out of the Super Bowl and became NO LONGER HOT."

He ended his post with a rallying cry to his supporters, declaring that "being woke is for losers" and that "Republican is what you want to be."

Before speaking on denim, she addressed long-running plastic surgery rumors. The Blast reports that while speaking with Variety, Sweeney made it clear she has never gone under the knife and does not plan to.

The producer noted she is not a fan of cosmetic procedures or needles and prefers to let her looks evolve naturally over time. Sweeney also revealed that she does not care much for tattoos either, adding that she plans to embrace aging "gracefully."

Beyond dismissing the gossip, Sweeney admitted the internet's obsession amuses her with comparing her childhood photos to her current look. She pointed out, "Of course, I'm going to look different. I have makeup on now, and I'm 15 years older." 

Sydney Sweeney is not letting a little controversy rattle her confidence or her love for a good pair of jeans.