Sydney Sweeney is starting the new year by confronting a controversy that refused to fade, breaking her usual silence to address the uproar surrounding her American Eagle campaign.

According to Fox News, for months, conversation around the ad — titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” — spiraled far beyond fashion. 

What began as a playful tagline morphed into a heated debate over wordplay, intention, and interpretation, pulling the actress into a cultural storm she never anticipated.

Sweeney said the intensity of the backlash blindsided her.

“I was honestly surprised by the reaction,” she told People. “I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.”

The slogan’s pun — bouncing between “jeans” and “genes” — triggered immediate criticism online.

Some social media users insisted it carried racially charged undertones. Others drew comparisons to Brooke Shields’ provocative Calvin Klein ads from the 1980s, arguing the overall tone was reminiscent of an earlier era’s controversy.

Sweeney said she normally avoids fueling debates, preferring to keep a low profile. But as the narrative around her intentions grew, she felt compelled to speak.

The actress described herself as someone who “leads with kindness” and wanted to ensure that message wasn’t lost.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness,” she explained.

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She admitted that remaining quiet may have allowed assumptions to spread unchecked.

“In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.”

The controversy intensified after the ad featured her speaking about traits being “passed down from parents to offspring,” followed by the line, “My jeans are blue,” as the camera zoomed in on her eyes. Critics accused the campaign of echoing language associated with “eugenics” and “white supremacy,” prompting American Eagle to issue its own statement on Aug. 1.

“’Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the brand said. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”

Sweeney had briefly addressed the topic in her GQ “Men of the Year” cover story last month, offering a blunt assessment of the uproar.

“I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life,” she said.

After months of speculation, Sweeney is making it clear she’s ready to reclaim the narrative — and ready to move forward.

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