Sydney Sweeney, the Euphoria actress, has finally spoken out about the white nationalist allegations she has been facing since August. On Friday, November 11, 2022, the 25-year-old said that the dispute is equivalent to a “wildfire” in a cover interview for British GQ’s 25th Men of the Year edition. She said, ”
“To be honest, I don’t think anything I say will improve the discourse. It’s turned into a wildfire, and nothing I can say will get it back on track.”
Sydney Sweeney received backlash in August after uploading a series of images from her mother’s 60th birthday celebration. Several attendees were observed wearing red hats with the inscription “Make 60 Great Again,” which was inspired by the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) caps used by conservative, far-right Donald Trump supporters. One of the guests was also wearing what seemed to be a Blue Lives Matter shirt. In response to the Black Lives Matter movement, the term notably arose to indicate support for police enforcement personnel. Trent Sweeney, Sweeney’s brother, also shared photos from the party with people wearing the controversial headwear.
The photographs sparked widespread debate, with many guessing about the actress and her family’s political opinions and condemning her for it. Sydney Sweeney grew raised in Spokane County, Washington, about 20 miles from the Idaho border. When she initially learned of the internet criticism directed at her after the incident, she said, “this is insane.” She stated that this was not her aim, and she was perplexed that a simple celebration of her mother’s milestone birthday had devolved into an outrageous political statement.
“My family doesn’t understand me,” Sydney Sweeney reveals.
Following the birthday tweets, Sydney Sweeney’s family was investigated, and the actress got a lot of abuse from fans. Netizens stated that Sweeney, as a prominent person, ought to face up to her family’s actions and confront the white supremacist connotations of her outfit choice. The actress made no more remarks other than to admit that she feels that nothing she says can assist the discourse and get it back on track. The White Lotus actress was honest in the GQ interview about her dissatisfaction with living in an “in-between position,” claiming that her relatives and friends in the region did not understand her or her world.
Sweeney elaborated:
“My family no longer understands me or the environment I’m in when I return home. But, in my business, my house and the location that roots me is significantly different from how other people live.”
Sydney Sweeney grew up in northern Idaho, which is mostly rural. She relocated to Los Angeles to seek a career as an actress. She went on to say that she was in an “in-between situation” where “neither side understands me.” Sydney Sweeney said in the same interview that her family members were “mainly Rues,” a reference to her Euphoria co-star Zendaya’s character, who has a history of drug misuse.
The Handmaid’s Tale actress claimed that watching her relatives, aunts, and uncles fall to addiction and the effects it has on the community has discouraged her from attempting drugs or alcohol. Sydney Sweeney has been outspoken about her gratitude for her family, particularly her mother’s support throughout her career. In an August interview with the Los Angeles Times, she noted that her parents’ support was critical to her acting career and that they “gave up all they knew” for her to follow her ambitions, referring to their migration to Los Angeles.
She continued, saying:
“I had no contacts. I didn’t come from a wealthy family…but I had parents who believed in me no matter what.”
Sydney Sweeney is most recognized for her appearance in HBO’s Euphoria as Cassie Howard.