Sydney Sweeney makes red carpet return amid ad backlash

Sydney Sweeney returned to the spotlight on Sunday night, making her first public appearance since facing backlash over her recent American Eagle ad campaign. The Euphoria star attended a special Los Angeles screening of her new film Americana, looking effortlessly elegant in a custom Danielle Frankel gown. The dress, featuring a corset-style bodice and layered tulle skirt, was paired with a soft yellow headband and Effy jewellery, giving Sweeney a refined vintage Hollywood look.

Held at Desert 5 Spot, the screening brought together several cast members, including Simon Rex and singer Halsey, both of whom posed alongside Sweeney on the red carpet. The film, set in a small South Dakota town, follows the dangerous fallout after a prized Native American ghost shirt ends up on the black market. The story spirals into a high-stakes chase involving a quirky diner waitress, a military veteran, and a corrupt antiquities dealer, with an Indigenous leader and his crew entering the fray to reclaim the stolen artifact.

While Americana focuses on cultural preservation and conflict, much of the attention surrounding Sweeney’s appearance was off-screen. Her red-carpet return comes just days after the fashion world erupted over her American Eagle campaign. The tagline, ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’, was widely interpreted as a provocative double entendre implying "genes", and drew criticism for echoing problematic themes of genetic superiority and for leaning into outdated, hyper-sexualised marketing. Critics compared it to Brooke Shields' infamous 1980 Calvin Klein ad, with many slamming it as tone-deaf and catering to the male gaze.

American Eagle defended the campaign on August 1, stating it was always intended to focus on the jeans, not genetics. Sweeney herself has not publicly addressed the controversy. Still, her confident appearance at the Americana event signalled a return to form, perhaps an attempt to shift focus back to her work amid the noise.