Sydney Sweeney is stepping into the ring — literally and figuratively — and she’s not backing down.
With the world buzzing about her now-infamous American Eagle “Great Jeans” campaign, the “Euphoria” and “White Lotus” star has made one thing “very” clear: she’s not here to talk about denim double entendres. She’s here to talk about “”Christy.””
On Sept. 5, Sydney will hit the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival for the premiere of her latest film, “Christy” — a gritty, gloves-on biopic about trailblazing boxer Christy Martin.
But while the cameras will be flashing, don’t expect a single soundbite about that jeans-genes controversy. “I’m not there to talk about jeans,” she told “Vanity Fair”. “The movie’s about Christy, and that’s what I’ll be there to talk about.” Translation? Keep the Qs about eugenics puns out of the press pool.
And just in case you missed the storm: American Eagle released a cheeky campaign this summer featuring Sweeney, with slogans like “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes,” which she crosses out and rewrites as “Jeans.” Critics came out swinging — some calling it “tone-deaf,” others cheering it as a refreshing jab at woke culture.
The ad got pulled. American Eagle backpedaled. Trump gave it a thumbs-up. And Sweeney? She said nothing… until now, and even then, she’s saying, “Nope. Not today.”
But if she’s shutting down the denim drama, she’s opening up about the brutal, brilliant work behind “Christy” — a movie she not only stars in but also co-produced. To become Christy Martin, Sweeney gained over 30 pounds, trained in boxing for months, and took real hits during the fight scenes. “We are actually punching each other,” she revealed. “Full force.” Yeah, you heard that right — those aren’t stunt doubles ducking and weaving.
She’s battled bruises, endured concussions, and even had the real Christy Martin ringside on set yelling, “Hit him with the hook!” And after all that?
Sweeney says she felt powerful. Strong. Ready to bring the story of a real-life survivor to the world — a woman who rose to boxing fame and lived through a near-fatal attack by her abusive husband and trainer.
So whether the public wants to chatter about jeans or not, Sweeney’s focus is locked in. Her gloves are up, and all eyes are now on “Christy” — the film, the story, the fight — not the fabric.
