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- Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad sparked backlash from critics who called it a "eugenics dog whistle."
- The ad led to increased publicity for American Eagle and a reaction from President Trump.
- Sweeney addressed the controversy for the first time to GQ, calling Trump's reaction "surreal."
Almost four months after her American Eagle ad campaign ignited controversy online, Sydney Sweeney is addressing the backlash.
In a new interview with GQ, the "Euphoria" and "Anyone But You" star was largely nonchalant about the "great genes" ads, which sparked debate online over the campaign's perceived racial implications.
"I did a jean ad," Sweeney said. "I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I'm literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life."
That jean ad not only led to an impressive stock surge for American Eagle, but Vice President JD Vance mocked the backlash. Even President Trump gave his two cents.
"The jeans are 'flying off the shelves.' Go get 'em Sydney!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
So what did Sweeney think of Trump's shoutout?
"It was surreal," she told GQ.
Still, she admitted she didn't pay too much attention to the controversy surrounding the ad in the summer because she was working.
"I kind of just put my phone away. I was filming every day. I'm filming 'Euphoria,'" she said, referring to the upcoming third season of the HBO series. "So I'm working 16-hour days, and I don't really bring my phone on set, so I work and then I go home and I go to sleep. So I didn't really see a lot of it."
Sweeney will next be seen in "Christy," in which she plays former boxer Christy Martin. The movie is in theaters Friday.
