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Sydney Sweeney has never felt more free.
In a new interview with Variety, the 28-year-old actress — who is currently promoting the release of her upcoming film, “Christy” — opened up about navigating Hollywood both on screen and off, and explained how she manages to tune out the outside chatter about her physique.
“I am definitely a caged animal in a sense,” she told the outlet, while describing her character — trailblazing boxer Christy Martin. “Acting is my ring. It’s where I feel freedom. The set is where everything else goes quiet.”
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It’s off of the film set where Sweeney faces various challenges — including ongoing chatter about her body.
“I play a lot of very divisive characters, and I think that a lot of people think they know me, but they don’t,” she told the outlet. “So when people think, ‘Ah, she’s a sex symbol,’ or ‘She’s leaning into that,’ I’m like, ‘No, I just feel good, and I’m doing it for myself and I feel strong.’”
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“And I hope that I can inspire other women to be confident and just flaunt what they got and feel good because you shouldn’t have to apologize or hide or cover up in any room,” she added.
Sweeney is no stranger to harsh criticism, however.
Over the summer, the “White Lotus” star‘s collaboration with American Eagle for its fall clothing campaign, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” sparked a mix of reactions on social media.
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While some dubbed the campaign “tone-deaf” due to the alleged racial undertones, others have praised the actress for killing “woke” advertising.
In a promo video posted to the brand’s Instagram, Sweeney walked toward an AE billboard featuring her and the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes.” Sweeney crossed out “Genes” and replaced it with “Jeans” before walking away.
According to Salon, the term “great genes” was historically used to “celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness.”
Fans were quick to share their disappointment over the ad.
“This is what happens when you have no [people] of color in a room. Particularly in a time like this. This ad campaign got so caught up in this ‘clever’ play on words and this stunt the [people] in the room missed what was so blatantly obvious to anyone not White,” another wrote.
However, some were quick to come to the brand, and Sweeney’s, defense.
“It doesn’t hurt ANYONE. That’s the point. It’s literally an advertisement for jeans. Not for nazism,” one person wrote.
“I don’t get why people don’t like this? It’s cute and clever,” another added.