How Sydney Sweeney became the most divisive star of a generation: Fans defend Euphoria star after director said she ‘isn’t pretty and can’t act’ – while critics are split over whether she’s ‘gussied-up smut’ or ‘the saviour of Hollywood’

She’s had a monumental rise to fame after her big break in Euphoria five years ago.

But with a series of sexed-up roles, controversies over her authenticity and jokes about her family’s support of Donald Trump, Sydney Sweeney, 26, has become incredibly divisive with fans and critics.

The star, famed for her bombshell looks and a classic Hollywood style, has been branded ‘an old school movie star’ and ‘Gen Z’s answer to Marilyn Monroe’. She claims that even her grandparents tell her she has ‘the best tits in Hollywood’.

And while her recent roles in Anyone But You and Immaculate have no doubt boosted her fan base, she has also received backlash.

One of Hollywood’s top producers, Carol Baum, whose films include Father of the Bride and Buffy the Vampire Slayer this week slammed the star saying she ‘isn’t pretty and can’t act’.

Baum, speaking with New York Times film critic Janet Maslin before an audience of fans following a screening of her 1988 film Dead Ringers starring Jeremy Irons, held nothing back as she began her critique of the 26-year-old actress.    

‘There’s an actress who everybody loves now – Sydney Sweeney.

‘I don’t get Sydney Sweeney. I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeney’s movie because I wanted to watch it,’ she says about Anyone But You.

‘I wanted to know who she is and why everybody’s talking about her,’ she told Maslin and her audience.

‘I watched this unwatchable movie- sorry to people who love this movie  – [this] romantic comedy where they hate each other.’

Baum added: ‘I said to my class, “Explain this girl to me. She’s not pretty, she can’t act. Why is she so hot?”‘ 

‘Nobody had an answer but then the question was asked, “Well if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it?’

‘I said, “Well that’s a really good question…that’s a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light?” Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made.’

However, various critics have called the star ‘charismatic’ and a ‘great actress’.

”In my view, Sydney is a remarkable actress with a significant screen presence that captivates audiences. 

‘She possesses a cinematic face that translates beautifully on film, embodying her characters with both grace and depth. 

Her performances, whether in leading or supporting roles, consistently showcase her versatility and commitment to her craft,’ John Baker, a film critic who makes Britflicks podcast told Femail.

Elsewhere, Ryan Toomey, film expert and editor at Upbeat Geek also told MailOnline that any flaws with her performances are unlikely to be due to ‘a lack of talent’.

‘While not every role Sydney takes will add to her growing collection of Emmys, her talent cannot be disputed, and her acting skills are quickly pinning her as Hollywood’s new darling, able to garner the adoration of rom-com lovers, teen drama addicts, horror film buffs and even Tarantino fans alike,’ he said.

‘Perhaps most well-known for playing the messy and complicated Cassie in Europe, Sydney isn’t a one-trick pony, and is slowly starting to show the depth of her acting and even producing chops, with a multi-Emmy award-winning role in The White Lotus, and a starring role in Immaculate, a horror movie she championed to get made.

‘Her most recent role in Madame Web was admittedly not her best, but I believe that’s down to poor direction and a bad script rather than her lack of talent – just look at Dakota Johnson who (minus her role in the 50 Shades series) is known for her pure acting talent, but fell flat in her role as the titular character. The same can be said for her part in the rom-com Anyone But You alongside Glenn Powell which, while fun, isn’t a testament to the depth of her acting skill and shouldn’t be her defining role.’

He added that ‘some of the best actors in recent years have started with far less impressive careers than Sweeney, and many cut their teeth in rom-coms before going on to have their “big break”‘.

‘Take Matthew McConaughey who spent years as the go-to male love interest in any frothy romantic comedy to a well respected Oscar and Emmy award winner,’ Ryan continued.

‘Sydney is proof that a bad movie or TV show does not a bad actor make, and I think she has an amazing career ahead of her despite what Carol Baum thinks.’

Fans of the actress have taken to X to defend her – saying that she is indeed attractive, and suggesting Baum’s comments stemmed from jealousy. 

One user wrote: ‘Carol, you are 70. Make b***** (and wrong) comments with friends in private.’

Another wrote: ‘Hollywood producer Carol BAUM, who looks like this, criticises Sydney Sweeney, saying she isn’t pretty.’

One X user further said: ‘God give me the confidence of top Hollywood producer Carol Baum who said this of Sydney Sweeney “[she’s] not pretty and she can’t act”. Judge for yourself.’

A dedicated fan also said that he would ‘fight’ Baum ‘anywhere she wants’. 

He wrote: ‘Some lady said Sydney Sweeney “wasn’t pretty” and if she wants to fight me I’ll meet her anywhere she wants.’

Another fan also criticised Baum’s take, and blamed it on ‘internalised misogyny.’ 

The supporter said: ‘How sad to hear a veteran female film producer Carol Baum criticise Sydney Sweeney for not being pretty! Internal misogyny hides in the least likely places. We don’t owe them pretty, it’s time to give em UGLY dammit.’

Another social media user made a more measured response: ‘It seems like Carol Baum has some strong opinions about Sydney Sweeney and her acting abilities. 

‘It’s always interesting to hear different perspectives in the entertainment industry. 

‘Let’s hope Sydney continues to work hard and prove her critics wrong.’ 

And another person online wrote: ‘By most objective standards, Sydney Sweeney is an attractive person; however, I completely agree with her about “Anyone But You.” 

‘It was not a good movie. It was kind of stupid and no one’s acting was all that great.’ 

Baum is the latest in a line of critics to attack Sydney.

Speaking to Variety last year, the twice-Emmy nominated star Sydney said that a male actor with her CV would not face the same criticism she does.

‘I’m still getting “Can she act?” accusations. Go watch “Reality,” ‘”White Lotus,” “Euphoria,” “Sharp Objects”, “Handmaid’s Tale” — but, OK, I’ll keep trying to prove myself, and hope that one day I can get cast with an amazing director and have a film that people recognise,’ she said. 

A huge amount of discussion around the star, focuses on her body, rather than her acting ability.

Despite roles in various hit shows – including The Handmaid’s Tale and Sharp Objects – before Euphoria, Sydney’s big break was in the HBO show.

The show features Sydney in many nude scenes, but the focus, which led to her rampant sexualisation as well as attacks from trolls.

‘There are hour-long compilations of world-famous male actors with nude scenes who win Oscars and get praised for that work. But the moment a woman does it, it degrades them,’ Sydney told Cosmopolitan in 2022.

‘They’re not actresses. They just take off their tops so they can get a role. There’s such a double standard and I really hope I can have a little part in changing that.’

‘I’m so disconnected from it. When I get tagged in Cassie’s or Pippa from The Voyeurs’ nudes, it feels like me looking at their nudes, not Sydney’s nudes 

‘When you film one of these scenes, it is so technical and so not romantic. There are people staring at you, there’s pads between you, there are nipple covers and weird sticker thongs all up in your butt’.

The conversation around Sydney’s body has also translated off-screen, with some attacking her for red carpet looks that often show a lot of cleavage.

Sydney claims this is because designers won’t make clothes that fit over her breasts, leading to them spill out.

”I’m always so appreciative to both Miu Miu and Armani because they will remake dresses for my boobs. And a lot of times, when I see trolls online slamming me, or whoever is styling me for things that don’t fit my boobs, it’s because it’s samples,’ she told Glamour UK.

She added she’s often ‘forced to fit in something that doesn’t fit me and it won’t look right’ 

‘So whenever I get to wear Miu Miu, Armani, or when a brand is letting me reconstruct the top or rebuild it or alter something, that’s when it looks better,’ she continued. ‘That’s when you see I look more confident and happy on the carpet as well.’

She added to Variety that she ‘can’t allow herself to have a reaction’ to discussions around her body.   

‘People feel connected and free to be able to speak about me in whatever way they want, because they believe that I’ve signed my life away. That I’m not on a human level anymore, because I’m an actor. 

‘That these characters are for everybody else, but then me as Sydney is not for me anymore. It’s this weird relationship that people have with me that I have no control or say over,’ she said.

In perhaps the most bizarre comments on her body, right-wing commentators have declared her breasts ‘the death of woke’.

In the US,  Republicans have made her the poster girl of a cultural shift away from political correctness, an incredulous headline in one of Canada’s biggest newspapers, the National Post, asked: ‘Are Sydney Sweeney’s breasts double-D harbingers of the death of woke?’

The Spectator, meanwhile, said that Sydney showed a ‘return to real body postivity’.

‘It was the 1990s and early 2000s. We had Pamela Anderson and Baywatch. Jennifer Love Hewitt graced the cover of Maxim with her boobs. Our supermodels – like Tyra Banks and Cindy Crawford – had curves,’ write Bridget Phestasy said.

Countering the point,   Tayo Bero wrote for the Guardian: ‘Ogling Sweeney also isn’t the revolutionary act that conservatives desperately want it to be, seeing as society’s obsession with skinny, blonde, large-breasted women never went anywhere.’

The question was flung like a hand grenade into the cultural debate after Sweeney appeared on America’s prestigious comedy TV show Saturday Night Live last month in sketches that focused on her body, parodying stereotypes about her highly sexualised appearance.

According to National Post comment writer Amy Hamm: ‘We’ve spent years being chastised for desiring or admiring beauty – because beauty is rare and exclusionary, and to exclude is to hate – or so we’ve been scolded to accept by today’s diversity, equity, and inclusion fanatics. We aren’t supposed to admire Sweeney’s beauty; but we’ve done it anyways. The times, they are a-changin’.’

Sweeney herself claims to be mystified at becoming the living embodiment of this political crusade, saying: ‘I don’t know how to explain it – I’m still trying to figure it out myself.’

Her body, and what it represents, is a hot topic of discussion from Washington DC’s corridors of power to Hollywood’s studio backlots. ‘People forget that I’m playing a character,’ she told The Hollywood Reporter. ‘They think: ‘Oh, she gets naked on screen, she’s a sex symbol.’ And I can’t get past that.’

Sweeney began acting at 12. The following year her family moved to LA, supporting her Hollywood dreams. Money was tight. ‘We lived in one room,’ she recalls. ‘My mum and I shared a bed and my dad and little brother shared a sofa.’ Financial aid helped pay for her schooling and university. Yet Sweeney struggled to find acting roles and her parents divorced, filing for bankruptcy.

‘When I turned 18, I only had $800 to my name,’ she says. ‘My parents weren’t back together and there was nothing I could do to help.’

Her father, Steven, a hospitality professional, moved to a remote ranch in Mexico without internet or mobile phone service. He was shocked by his daughter’s graphic sex scenes when he first watched Euphoria. ‘My dad and grandpa turned it off and walked out,’ Sweeney admits.

She remained in LA with her mother, Lisa, a former criminal defence lawyer who quit to care for Sydney and younger brother Trent. With her recent success, Sweeney paid off her mother’s mortgage. ‘My parents sacrificed so much to support my dream and they lost so much during it,’ she says. ‘I felt a responsibility to show them that it was worth it.’ Sweeney found fame and Emmy nominations with White Lotus and Euphoria, but her family’s politics proved a distraction.

When Lisa celebrated her 60th birthday in 2022, critics focused on guests wearing what appeared to be Blue Lives Matter attire – a pro-police counterpoint to the Black Lives Matter campaign – and Make America Great Again-styled red baseball caps reading ‘Make Sixty Great Again’.

It hardly mattered that Sweeney has no stated political leanings. It proved a dog whistle to the American Right, who have embraced her.

Sydney herself dubbed the reaction weird. But she + is hardly the first sexed-up Hollywood starlet. And she certainly isn’t the first red carpet siren to show off her curves. So why has she divided opinion so much? 

Hayley Knight, media expert and Co-founder & Communications Director of BEYELLOW seemed to think a huge amount comes down to jealousy.

‘In this day and age, in the current state of Hollywood, women should be supporting women, not tearing them down. Sydney Sweeney is one of the hottest, upcoming talented actors in the industry at the moment, and has proven herself, and flexed her talented muscles in more ways than one – she has produced and directed, as well as acted. 

‘Her increasingly incredible performance throughout the Euphoria series, which won her an Emmy nomination has proven her worth time and time again. And to say she isn’t beautiful is utterly ridiculous.

‘Also, in a growing industry of ‘nepo babies’ Sydney is not one of them, and has worked incredibly hard to get to the position she is in, further cementing her talent and grind. This should be celebrated, not torn apart.

‘Carol Baum may have years of experience, having worked across some of the most popular movies (including my personal favourite Buffy The Vampire Slayer), but her comments towards Sydney seem personal, and to be honest, quite bitter. It’s important to note, that she has previously worked with Kristy Swanson (Buffy) who has made some ‘toxic’ comments in regards to anti-vaxxing, Trump and COVID, but Carol didn’t call her out on these, and they’ve worked together, so it seems a little harsh that these completely unwarranted comments have been made towards Sydney Sweeney.

‘And there are many up and coming young Hollywood stars right now, so it is sad to see Sydney purposely singled out by Carol. It does feel that there are hints of jealousy, and bitterness, and trying to make herself relevant off the back of Sydney’s success – as Sydney’s fans have claimed. 

‘It goes to show that there is still very much a culture of toxicity in Hollywood that needs to be tackled, and I hope that Sydney can rise above it and revel in her ongoing success. After all, success is the best revenge,’.

The star has also faced backlash for being disingenuous. After telling Women’s Health that she worked as a tour guide at Universal Studios as a teenager, TikTok users accused her of lying, the Hollywood Reporter later verified it as true.

Elsewhere, she faced backlash for her ‘fake’ red carpet chemistry with Anyone But You co-star Glen Powell.

The pair were accused by fans of fuelling on-set romance rumors for months.  

The film follows Bea (Sweeney) and Ben (Powell), who pretend to be the perfect couple to keep up appearances while attending a destination wedding in Australia. 

Weighing in on X (formerly Twitter), one suspicious user wrote: ‘Everybody eating that Sydney Sweeney Glenn Powell drama up right now is so funny to me because it’s sooo clearly a f**king publicity stunt.’ 

‘All this Sydney Sweeney Glen Powell s**t is just publicity for the plot of the movie. Wake up,’ another claimed. 

‘It’s so obvious all those Glenn Powell/Sydney Sweeney things were manufactured by the movie’s PR team so that the movie gets more attention. Please! Because how else would people be talking about this movie? Nobody gave a f**k before this,’ yet another wrote. 

The on-set rumours began to swirl at the beginning of the year during filming and quickly gained traction after Glen quietly split with his model girlfriend Gigi Paris in April.

Sydney finally shot down the speculation during a tell-all interview with Variety, saying ‘It’s a rom-com. That’s what people want!’

She added: ‘Glen and I don’t really care.’

‘We have so much fun together, and we respect each other so much; he’s such a hard worker, and I’m a hard worker,’ she continued.

‘We’re excited for the press tour, and I literally just left ADR with him. We talk all the time like,’ the blonde beauty quipped.

Despite the pair continually denying any possibility of a romance, fans of the two Hollywood heavyweights found such statements hard to believe after the rom-com co-stars were spotted spending a lot of time together in Australia… when they weren’t filming scenes.

A production member on the film even relayed that many of the workers on set ‘thought they were already a couple.’

They continued, ‘I knew him from Top Gun. But I just assumed they were a couple in real life. That’s what it looked like to most of us. And to some of the extras as well.’

Although the 6ft heartthrob did break up with his girlfriend while filming Anyone But You, with Gigi even unfollowing the White Lotus star, Sweeney is still very much together with fiancé, Jonathan Davino, 38. 

The couple were first linked in 2018, and reportedly became engaged in 2022. 

She poked fun at the rumours during her SNL hosting gig.  

‘The craziest rumour I’ve seen is that while I was filming Anyone But You, I was having an affair with my co-star Glen Powell… That’s obviously not true,’ the actress said.

‘Me and my fiancé produced the movie together and he was there the entire shoot,’ she continued.

‘I just want to let everyone know that he’s the man of my dreams. And we’re still together and stronger than ever. He even came here tonight to support me… can we cut to him?’

The camera then panned to an unsuspecting Glen Powell grinning in the audience before Sydney jokingly screamed ‘that’s not my fiancé he’s in my dressing room.’

Powell has previously admitted that he and Sweeney agreed to ‘play up’ the dating rumours as publicity for the rom-com.

When asked about their decision to lean into their characters, Ben and Bea, Powell opened up about utilising their ‘authentic chemistry’ to entice viewers to watch their rom-com.

‘I don’t have the mental capacity to pull anything like this off, but she’s very smart. She’s very smart,’ the Top Gun: Maverick actor told Business Insider. ‘I had such a wonderful journey with her on this thing. But in terms of actual dating and actually being together? [Laughs.]’

So does Hollywood just ‘not know what to do with her? That’s the opinion of Irish Times film critic Donald Clarke, who wrote Anyone But You ‘made a case for human tissue being more valuable than intellectual property’

‘Hollywood has, so far as the big screen goes, recently given up on the romantic comedy, but that film, hanging around for months, gradually accrued $218 million.

‘Sweeney is the one. She is here to save cinema. Forget Taylor, Fonda and Roberts. She’s Brigitte Bardot. She’s Marilyn Monroe. Right?

‘Okay, let’s not get carried away. Sweeney is a fine actor. She has charisma. She is smart. But she can do little to change the mechanism around her. The argument for her status as a star of the old school results, to an extent, from an apparent vacuum in the intellectual-property economy.’

‘People see what they want to see,’ says Juliet Williams, professor of gender studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. ‘We really shouldn’t be surprised at the objectification of celebrities as a screen for our projections, because that’s what they’re offered up to us for in their ­performance of roles. 

‘Sydney Sweeney’s Saturday Night Live skit was parodying the desensitisation of the male gaze and toxic masculinity, but unlike the British, Americans have an inability to see irony and parody.’

Starring in a video for Rolling Stones’ track Angry, plus and upcoming role as Barbarella  has certainly only added to Sydney’s sex symbol status. 

‘Barbarella is such a fun character to explore. She embraces her femininity and sexuality, and I love that,’ she told the Sun.  

‘She uses sex as a weapon and I think that’s such an interesting way into the sci-fi world.’

The rise (and rise) of Sydney Sweeney: How the Euphoria star has gone from a conservative rural upbringing and tiny TV parts to a racy cameo in The Rolling Stones’ new music video 

by Laura Fox for MailOnline

She started with a humble upbringing in a rural town on the Idaho border.

But in just a few years, thanks to her All-American image, Sydney Sweeney has become the cream of Hollywood, rising from bit parts to huge roles in TV blockbusters Euphoria and The White Lotus .

At just 26, she is now one of the most sought after actresses in the industry with a huge younger audience and a whopping 15 million Instagram followers.

While Sydney has years of acting success in her future, her career has reached a staggering new height with a cameo in The Rolling Stones ‘ music video.

An unassuming background

While Sydney’s stellar TV roles prove she’s always had acting in her blood, her background is far from that of a star dreaming of the Hollywood sign with hours of drama clubs and stage schools behind them.

Born to a criminal defence lawyer mother and hospitality professional father, she grew up in Spokane, a city in Washington on the border of Idaho.

Speaking of her upbringing, she said in 2022: ‘It’s a different way of life out there. It’s very simple. Family is everything.’

Sydney, who was her class’ valedictoria, threw herself into a slew of extracurricular activities, and was on her school’s football, baseball, snow slalom ski and robotics team.

She also juggled wakeboarding, golf, softball, skiing, and dirt biking, and was even a member of an academic club called Math Is Cool.

Conservative upbringing  

Sydney has previously detailed how she grew up in a religious family, but doesn’t practice any particular faith herself, saying in an interview: ‘I came from a religious family but I’m open to all religions.’

She also previously shared that due to her parents’ conservative views, she nearly turned down her breakout part in Euphoria due to his graphic nature.

In 2021 she said: ‘What’s crazy, and this is going to sound really bad — is when I first got sent the audition, I was too nervous to go do it.

‘I grew up in a smaller town with my family, who are a little more conservative, and I was like, ”They’re going to kill me if I do something like this.”

Her family were also hit by a ‘wildfire’ of controversy when she posted snaps of her mother’s birthday party guests wearing MAGA-inspired hats.

She was accused of being ‘right-wing’ in August when she shared snaps which featured a male guest wearing what appeared to be a Blue Lives Matter shirt – and others wearing MAGA parody hats at the Spokane, Washington event.

The Euphoria star told British GQ: ‘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.’

In August  Sweeney slammed ‘absurd’ claims regarding her family’s political ties when fans accused the actress of being right-wing.

She said on social media: ‘You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention.

‘Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone ❤️ and Happy Birthday Mom!’ she concluded.

A racy Rolling Stones cameo 

Sydney’s star reached stunning new heights this week when she made an appearance in the music video for The Rolling Stones’ new song Angry.

She put on a sizzling display in the video as she slipped into a leather crop top and matching skimpy shorts.

The video, directed by Francois Rousselet, sees Sydney miming the lyrics to the single as she strikes a series of dance moves in the back of a car driving through Los Angeles.

Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, Sydney also sported a pair of star print tights in the video along with a pair of black boots. 

As she moves through the streets, the billboards show moving images of the band performing over the years.

Her performance in the video was well received by fans, with several taking to X/Twitter to praise the star.

One fan wrote: ‘Sydney Sweeney deserves all the love,’ while another added: ‘Sydney Sweeney looks dope in this.’

A third wrote: ‘She’s perfect for this,’ while another said she and The Rolling Stones ‘make a great pair’. 

Sydney was also one of few stars in attendance at the Venice Film Festival this year, meaning she drew plenty of eyes with her glamorous looks.

Arriving as a guest of Armani, she made a slew of red carpet appearances at the event, catching the eye in a range of designer gowns.

Her Hollywood beginnings

Sweeney got her start in Hollywood guest starring on many television shows including Criminal Minds, 90210, Kickin’ It, and Grey’s Anatomy. 

At the start of her career, she also made appearances in movies Angels in Stardust, Vikes, and Dead Ant.

In 2017, Sweeney was in the television show In the Vault which lasted one season.

Shortly after in 2018, she played Emaline in the Netflix TV show Everything Sucks! The show followed a group of high school kids in the 90s in Oregon.

The 10-episode series parodied the teen culture of the 1990s. Set in the real life town of Boring, Oregon, it centered on a group of students at Boring High School.

The plot centered around the friction between the A/V Club and the Drama Club.

Netflix cancelled the series after one season, but Sydney was the breakout star of Everything Sucks! and on her way to the stardom she enjoys today. 

She made several small appearances in 90210 which starred the likes of Matt Lanter, AnnaLynne McCord and Shenae Grimes. 

She was also was in one episode of Grey’s Anatomy during Season 11 of the popular TV show. 

She was a guest star on an episode called Don’t Let’s Start in 2014 where she played Erin Weaver. 

Her star is on the rise

After getting her foot in the door Sydney began to land some bigger roles, firstly in the second season of the enormous hit The Handmaid’s Tale.

The series is based on the book of the same name by Margaret Atwood and is set in the dystopian world of Gilead, where women have their autonomy taken away from them.

Sydney appeared in seven episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale season two as Eden Blaine. 

Introduced in episode five Eden is a young girl who is assigned to be a child bride for Nick Blaine (Max Minghella). 

However, Nick’s affection for June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss), affects his and Eden’s arranged marriage.

Consequently, Eden ends up falling for a young Guardian named Isaac (Rohan Mead). Together, Eden and Isaac attempt to escape Gilead only to be caught and captured by the Gileadean authorities. 

The two are immediately sentenced to death and, in Sweeney’s last appearance on The Handmaid’s Tale, Eden and Isaac are shoved into an abandoned swimming pool with weight strapped to their waists.

For her part, in a 2018 interview with Three If By Space, Sweeney discussed how difficult it was to leave after only a few episodes. 

‘There were many tears and lots of hugs given. There are so many great times that I will take with me. Not being able to work with these people anymore was so sad.’  

Next up, Sydney took on the role of Alice in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects, which was based on the Gillian Flynn novel of the same name. 

She played Alice, a roommate whom Amy Adams’s character meets at a psychiatric facility.

Her character was originally supposed to have a smaller role, but the director kept bringing her in for more scenes. 

The she appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s dramedy Once Upon a Time in Hollywood alongside Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie.

And while her part was small – it marked a major milestone working on a big budget, splashy film with a legendary director and A-list stars. 

She played the role of Snake, who is a member of the Manson Family who lives on Spahn ranch with the rest of the girls who fell under the spell of the notorious serial killer.

Her big break

In 2019, Euphoria debuted on HBO and instantly became a fan favorite and launched Sydney into the stratosphere.

The show is the cable channel’s most-watched show after Game of Thrones. 

Starring Zendaya, Maude Apatow, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Shafer, Angus Cloud and Sydney, the series redefined high school dramas for GenZ. 

At first, she was told she wasn’t right for the role of Cassie – a sweet and popular girl who is deeply insecure and sleeps around. In fact, she was told not to bother coming into to even audition.

Her agent fought for her and she submitted a tape and the rest is history.

She was nominated for an Emmy for her role in the high school drama with rampant drug use and casual sex last year.

‘Of course I was hoping for Euphoria because I’m so proud of my character and I put a lot into it, but I didn’t think I was going to get it because of the other actresses who gave such incredible performances this year,’ she said.

And the actress admits she enjoys how crazy her character in Euphoria is. 

‘I enjoy going crazy. So I kind of hope she’s still a little crazy. For Cassie, she needs to make amends,’ she told Variety. 

Sweeney added that in the end, ‘I hope one day she loves herself.’ But for as long as she can Sweeney said she’ll continue to enjoy the character’s ‘craziness.’ 

Becoming a household name

Next up she starred in HBO Max satirical murder dramedy The White Lotus.

Sweeney played cynical college sophomore Olivia Mossbacher, daughter of Mark Mossbacher (Steve Zahn) and Nicole Mossbacher (Connie Britton) in the series.

The show garnered Sydney her first Emmy nomination for her role as Olivia.

White Lotus’ creator Mike White heaped praise on Sydney after filming, saying: ‘She’s very likable and charming, but then you put her in front of a camera and – I don’t want to sound like some Old Hollywood freak – but she has these powers. 

‘Certain actors have a certain kind of magic, and she is definitely one of them.’ 

Next up in 2023, Sweeney starred in Tina Satter’s thriller drama Reality, which premiered at the 73rd Berlin Film Festival, where she received critical praise for her performance.

Steph Green of IndieWire stated: ‘Not only is Reality inventively mounted and extraordinarily tense, but across 85 taut minutes, it proves something we already knew deep down: that Sydney Sweeney is the real deal’. 

More recently she filmed a new movie with Glen Powell – a yet-to-be-titled romantic comedy which was shot in Australia.

Details on the plot of the R-rated flick are being kept under wraps but the film will also star Bryan Brown, Michelle Hurd, Hadley Robinson and Darren Barnet.

Coming up the actress has Euphoria’s third season in the pipeline as well as high-profile roles in the AppleTV+ series Echo Valley alongside Julianne Moore , Marvel’s Madame Web alongside Dakota Johnson and as the lead in the horror movie Immaculate. 

Wedding bells

Sydney remains happily engaged to her fiancé Jonathan Davino, despite sparking unsubstantiated affair rumors with her co-star Glen Powell.

While fans have speculated whether the her chemistry with the Top Gun: Maverick heartthrob, 34, spilled off-screen, an insider confirmed that she ‘is still’ with her husband-to-be, 37.

The source added that the costars ‘are not dating’ and that the Sharp Objects actress is back to living with Davino, a successful entrepreneur and businessman, since wrapping filming on her upcoming romantic comedy.

‘All is well between them,’ the outlet reported of the two-time Emmy nominee’s nearly five-year relationship, after accepting the restauranteur’s proposal last March.