After weeks of staying out of the social media spotlight following the controversy surrounding her American Eagle ad, Sydney Sweeney has returned to Instagram, but not to address the backlash. Instead, the Euphoria star used her comeback post on August 13 to promote her upcoming film Americana, which is set to hit theaters on August 15.
In the candid post, the 27-year-old actress shared behind-the-scenes photos from the movie set, providing fans with a glimpse of her character, Penny Jo. “A few years ago I filmed this little movie with some friends and now you get to meet Penny Jo,” she captioned the post.
The photo carousel included a variety of shots: Sydney gazing out from the driver’s seat of a car, smiling while playing guitar in her bedroom, and taking a mirror selfie while wearing a wig. One of the slides also featured her co-star Halsey, who flashed a rock-and-roll hand sign, adding a touch of fun to the collection of snaps.
Sydney’s return to social media comes weeks after facing widespread backlash over her role in an American Eagle campaign promoting their fall collection. The campaign, which featured the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” caused controversy when the word “genes” was crossed out and replaced with “jeans,” sparking accusations of promoting white supremacy and eugenics.
Despite the uproar, American Eagle defended the ad, clarifying that the campaign was always intended to celebrate their denim line. “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” was about the jeans, not the phrase’s interpretation, the company stated, reaffirming their commitment to celebrating individuality and confidence through their products.
Sydney has yet to publicly comment on the backlash, choosing instead to focus on her film career as she gears up for the release of Americana.
