Sydney Sweeney has made headlines lately, but not always for her film or television work. The actress recently addressed criticism over a limited-edition bath product sold under her name.
The product, called Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss, was promoted as a unique soap item and quickly sold out. Despite its success, online reaction turned negative, with critics mocking the concept of the product being “infused” with her essence. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Sweeney responded directly to the backlash, suggesting the outrage was rooted in sexism. “It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting. They all loved the idea of Jacob Elordi’s bathwater,” she said.
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Sweeney was pointing to her Euphoria co-star Jacob Elordi, who became the subject of an internet craze in 2024 after the release of Saltburn. In one scene, Barry Keoghan’s character drinks Elordi’s bathwater, which inspired a viral candle tie-in marketed as “Elordi’s Bathwater.” The candle went viral with little controversy, fueled mostly by memes. Sweeney noted the double standard, pointing out that her product drew far more criticism.
This is not the first time the actress has been at the center of online debates. Earlier this year, American Eagle launched an ad campaign featuring her with the slogan, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” Some accused the company of making a play on the phrase “great genes,” reading into it an emphasis on her heritage. The controversy gained attention to the point where even the White House commented, calling the uproar “cancel culture run amok.” Sweeney has chosen not to address that campaign directly.
The bigger question has been whether these controversies will hurt her career. Her most recent feature, Americana, opened to just $500,000 across more than 1,000 theaters. Some critics framed it as a box office failure, but others noted it was a small independent film with limited marketing and modest expectations.
Despite the headlines, Sweeney remains one of Hollywood’s most in-demand young stars. A single successful project could easily shift the current narrative. By standing up to what she views as a double standard, Sweeney is making it clear she does not intend to be defined by internet outrage.
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