Sydney Sweeney heckled over ‘racist’ American Eagle ad at film premiere

Actress Sydney Sweeney faced public protest at the Los Angeles premiere of her new film Americana, as controversy surrounding her recent American Eagle ad campaign continues to generate backlash.

The incident occurred on Sunday night at Desert 5 Spot in Hollywood.

Sweeney, best known for her role in Euphoria, arrived on the red carpet wearing a pale yellow gown. As she exited her SUV and was escorted toward the venue, a protester off-camera shouted, “Stop the ad, that is being racist!” The heckling was captured on video and widely circulated online shortly after the event.

The protest references Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign, which has been criticized by some social media users — particularly on TikTok — for allegedly promoting racially insensitive messaging. The ad featured the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” which critics claimed was a thinly veiled play on “genes,” sparking concerns about implied genetic superiority.

Neither Sweeney nor her team has publicly addressed the accusation, and she did not acknowledge the heckler at the premiere. American Eagle, however, released a statement defending the campaign, stating it was about denim and Sweeney’s personal story, and rejected the claims as false and defamatory.

Despite the outburst, Sweeney continued posing with co-stars Simon Rex and Halsey on the red carpet. The rest of the premiere proceeded without incident. The episode highlights the growing tension between celebrity endorsements and public scrutiny, particularly around sensitive cultural issues.