Gabby Windey, Doja Cat, President Donald Trump and more stars have shared their mixed reactions to Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle ad.
After Sweeney posed in the July campaign, which played into the double entendre of the word “genes” and “jeans,” the ad sparked controversy among social media users who believed it promoted eugenics and over-sexualized the actress. In one campaign clip, the cameras zoomed in on Sweeney’s cleavage while she gushed about how good her genes are. “My body’s composition is determined by my genes. Hey, eyes up here,” she told the camera. A narrator’s voice then said, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
She also recreated Brooke Shields’ (also controversial) 1980s Calvin Klein ad as she laid on the floor and pulled up her denim pants, mimicking her fellow actress. She shared a message about how “genes are passed down from parents to offspring,” a nod to Shields’ line, “Genes are fundamental in determining the characteristics of an individual and passing on these characteristics to succeeding generations.”
American Eagle responded to the backlash in a statement on August 1. “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
As fans on social media continue to debate the ad, some of Hollywood’s biggest A-listers couldn’t help but weigh in.
Keep scrolling to see the stars who have shared their thoughts on Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign:
