One of today’s most famous actresses – for various reasons – is Sydney Sweeney. The young actress and producer’s career has skyrocketed since her breakout role as Cassie Howard in HBO’s Euphoria (USA, 2019-present).
- Read also: Best movies with Sydney Sweeney
However, her career hasn’t been without controversy. Most recently, she’s made headlines for her involvement in a heavily criticized campaign for clothing brand American Eagle.
Here’s everything you need to know about Sydney Sweeney and her Hollywood journey.
Who is Sydney Sweeney?
Sydney Bernice Sweeney is an American actress born September 12, 1997 in Spokane, Washington to a lawyer mother and hospitality professional father. Raised in a rural area, she comes from what she describes in her own words as a “religious family.”
Her interest in acting began when auditioning for an extra role in a film shooting near Spokane. She started doing commercials in Seattle and Portland before her family relocated to Los Angeles when she was 13 to support her acting dreams.
During high school at Brighton Hall, Sweeney excelled athletically (playing everything from soccer to baseball) and academically – graduating as a Valedictorian while participating in math club and robotics team.
How did Sydney Sweeney become famous?
Sweeney’s early roles were small – appearing in shows like Heroes (2006-2010) and films like ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction (2009). For years she mostly booked one-off TV guest spots, including a 2014 Grey’s Anatomy appearance.
Her profile grew with recurring roles in dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-2025) and especially the Amy Adams-led miniseries Sharp Objects (2018), where she earned praise for playing a troubled psychiatric patient. She also appeared with Andrew Garfield in Under the Silver Lake (2018).
But Sweeney’s star-making role came as insecure teen Cassie Howard in HBO’s Euphoria – the American adaptation of the Israeli series. The show, starring Zendaya and Hunter Schafer, explores addiction, mental health and sexuality among high schoolers. Sweeney’s nuanced performance earned her first Emmy nomination and established her as a versatile dramatic actress.
She returned to HBO for The White Lotus (2021-present), earning another Emmy nod as sarcastic college student Olivia Mossbacher.
Her film breakthrough came with Reality (2023), playing whistleblower Reality Winner at the Berlin Film Festival.
Sweeney has since expanded into producing, serving as executive producer on hit rom-com Anyone But You (2024) and horror film Immaculate (2024).
What’s next for Sydney Sweeney?
Upcoming projects include boxing biopic Christy (2025) about Christy Martin (premiering at TIFF 2025), thriller The Housemaid (2025), and playing screen legend Kim Novak in Scandalous! (2026). Euphoria is also expected to conclude with season 3 in 2026.
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Sydney Sweeney’s Controversies
Despite her prolific career, Sweeney has faced several controversies – particularly two major incidents in 2025.
The “Sydney Sweeney Soap”
In May 2025, Sweeney partnered with men’s grooming brand Dr. Squatch to launch a special edition soap containing her actual bathwater.
The product (following a viral sexualized campaign) drew criticism as “predatory exploitation of male loneliness,” while others argued Sweeney was capitalizing on her own sexualization.
The American Eagle Controversy
More recently, Sweeney’s American Eagle ad campaign sparked outrage for its slogan, which is based on a wordplay: “Sydney Sweeney has good genes” with “genes” crossed out and replaced by the homophone “jeans.”
Critics called the campaign eugenicist and white supremacist for implying “good genes” meant conventionally attractive white features. Values often associated with the American right and the Republican Party, of which Sweeney has been a registered member since 2024.
