Sydney Sweeney shuts down question about jeans controversy at movie premiere

‘I’m not there to talk about jeans’, said the defiant star

Sydney Sweeney has no plans to discuss the American Eagle jeans controversy at the premiere of her latest movie, Christy.

The actor, 27, plays International Boxing Hall of Famer Christy Martin in the new biopic, which will debut at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend.

Sweeney has declared that she will only talk about the film at the festival, shutting down any notion about her commenting on the divisive clothing campaign.

"I am there to support my movie and the people involved in making it, and I’m not there to talk about jeans,” Sweeney told Vanity Fair. “The movie’s about Christy, and that’s what I’ll be there to talk about.”

American Eagle rolled out its new ad campaign starring Sweeney over the summer. The fall denim campaign sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to “woke” American politics and culture.

Negative reactions centred on ads that used the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, featuring the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actor known for the HBO series “Euphoria” and “White Lotus.”

American Eagle-Sweeney (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

In the advert, Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue."

While critics accused the ad of playing into eugenic ideals, that some genetic qualities are better than others, MAGA supporters quickly came to her defence.

Trump praised Sweeney when he found out she was a registered Republican, writing on social media she “has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there.”

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Meanwhile, Sweeney underwent a remarkable physical transformation for the role, gaining muscle and sporting a dark curly haircut.

Christy also stars Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, Katy O’Brian, Ethan Embry and Jess Gabor.

An official description of the film reads: “The film tells the unbelievable true story of formidable Christy Martin, who rose to fame as America’s most successful female boxer in the 1990s.

Sydney Sweeney and boxing champion Christy Martin (Getty)

“A naturally gifted fighter, Christy’s life was transformed in 1989 when she met her manager, and later husband, Jim Martin. Breaking boundaries, she became the first woman to sign with iconic promoter Don King, and the only female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Martin – famously known as “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” – became the first female boxer to sign with iconic promoter Don King, amassing an impressive 49-10-3 record over her professional career. In 2020, Martin’s groundbreaking achievements were recognized with her induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.