Sydney Sweeney's Most Controversial Moments

Hollywood's breakthrough star, Sydney Sweeney, gained widespread attention for her role in "The Handmaid's Tale" in 2018, earning acclaim for her seven-episode performance. Shortly after that, Sweeney landed a role in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" alongside A-listers Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, cementing her status as the industry's newest talent. HBO's "Euphoria" launched Sweeney to stardom, but her journey has not been without controversy.

From brushing off incidents like wearing far-right merchandise to allegedly breaking up a co-star's relationship, Sweeney found herself in hot water over a handful of issues, but she thinks it's all due to a lack of perspective. When speaking to Variety, the actor explained, "When we have a two-hour conversation and there's six quotes in it, it's so hard to have the context behind what we're speaking about and how we're saying it to each other." While she's right for the most part, incidents that have marked her entry to Hollywood have all been witnessed first-hand rather than being misinterpreted.

In an interview with GQ UK, the star shared that she has no intentions of undergoing media training as she wants to maintain her authenticity. However, Sweeney's less-than-polished responses to her most controversial moments could undoubtedly benefit from some professional refinement. Although the incidents haven't significantly impacted her acting career thus far, Sweeney appears seemingly unaffected by them — perhaps too much — potentially leaving room for another controversy to bloom in the near future.

In 2022, Sydney Sweeney faced controversy over a swimwear contract that she was accused of breaching and misusing. LA Collective, the lifestyle and swimwear brand in question, claimed that the "White Lotus" star had initially agreed to represent the brand's new bathing suit line, "Somewhere," according to TMZ. However, after completing the initial step of approving the company's bikini designs, Sweeney was alleged to have backed out of the deal without providing a valid reason.

Moreover, Sweeney not only terminated her agreement with LA Collective but also reportedly wore the previously approved designs in what the company alleged to be a minimum of five episodes of her hit Netflix show, "Euphoria." TMZ reported that the brand calculated a loss of $3 million due to Sweeney's departure and opted to file a lawsuit against the actor for the incurred profit loss.

Approximately two months later, according to court documents obtained by RadarOnline, Sweeney's attorney described LA Collective in court as a notorious brand engaged in fraudulent business practices, stating, "[LA Collective] has earned itself an "F" rating by the Better Business Bureau and has a reputation for scamming its customers, business associates, and creditors alike." Sweeney denied all accusations made against her and noted that, upon learning about the brand's scandalous past during the negotiation phase, she decided to back out. Notably, the star had not signed a contract with the brand and allegedly only had an oral agreement. About a year later, RadarOnline reported that the case was dismissed.

Just months after the bikini controversy made headlines, Sydney Sweeney faced another round of criticism, this time over her mother's 60th birthday party. The "Handmaid's Tale" actor posted pictures of the celebration on her Instagram account, drawing attention to people in the background wearing what appeared to be red MAGA hats. Further investigation by social media users uncovered additional photos showing attendees in Blue Lives Matter T-shirts, as well as the actor's younger brother's far-right social media activity.

Attempting to address the backlash, Sweeney took to her X (formerly Twitter) account, writing, "An innocent celebration for my mom's milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention." In an August 2022 interview with Variety, Sweeney clarified that the individuals in the controversial photos were not members of her family but her mother's friends, who purportedly wore far-right gear as a parody, as the theme of the bash was a country hoedown. Additionally, the hats allegedly read "Make Sixty Great Again" rather than "Make America Great Again."

In a subsequent interview with British GQ the following month, Sweeney expressed frustration, saying, "Honestly, I feel like nothing I say can help the conversation. It's been turning into a wildfire, and nothing I can say will take it back to the correct track." Despite her claims of misinterpretation, Sweeney still failed to acknowledge the deeper implications of the conservative politics associated with the incident, whether intentional or not.

Throughout 2023, rumors circulated about an alleged affair between Sydney Sweeney and her co-star, Glen Powell, during the filming of "Anyone but You," a Sony Pictures romantic comedy. Amid playing former lovers who unintentionally rekindle their romance, Powell and Sweeney's budding real-life connection caught everyone's attention. While that might've been great under different circumstances, at the time the cheating speculation started brewing, Powell was in a relationship with model Gigi Paris, while Sweeney was engaged to businessman Jonathan Davino.

The first hints of questionable behavior emerged in April 2023 when Sweeney and Powell both attended CinemaCon in Las Vegas, and their enamored red carpet behavior rang alarm bells. Additionally, their social media activity seemed to cross the boundary of appropriate relationship manners, with Sweeney posting a carousel of photos to her Instagram, featuring the two cozying up to each other. Amid the speculation, Paris left Powell, while Sweeney and Davino appeared unfazed by the rumors.

In August 2023, Sweeney addressed the alleged affair in a nonchalant manner during her interview with Variety, sharing, "That's what people want! Glen and I don't really care." Powell also denied any wrongdoing in an interview with Business Insider. However, he left a racy comment under Sweeney's Instagram post of the "Anyone but You" trailer, writing, "Wait, they were filming when we were in the shower?!? Uh oh," alluding to their steamy shower make-out. While the entire scenario could have been a deliberate promotional tactic, the question inevitably arises: how far is too far?