Sydney Sweeney stunned on the red carpet in a sheer silver gown at Variety’s Power of Women event in Los Angeles — and one legendary actress made sure to celebrate her confidence.
Sharon Stone, who will join Sweeney in the upcoming third season of Euphoria, publicly praised the 28-year-old star for embracing her image and power during Wednesday night’s event. “It’s OK to use what mama gave you,” Stone told Variety. “It’s hard to be hot, and I think we all know that. It’s really OK to use every bit of hotness you have — right here, right now — and go for whatever that is. Everybody has their own kind of hotness, their own certain thing, and you’re supposed to go for that. Because who are you not to be beautiful? You know, who you are isn’t an accident.”
Stone also shared that she and Sweeney spoke during Euphoria’s production, after Sweeney faced controversy surrounding her American Eagle “Good Jeans” campaign. To offer perspective, Stone recalled a story about her friend, primatologist Jane Goodall, who once appeared on the cover of Life magazine in her safari gear. When critics claimed Goodall only received the cover because of her looks, she reportedly replied, “If I did, then that helped me get more money for my research.”
According to Stone, Sweeney had a similarly pragmatic outlook: “Yeah, and I’m sure I made a billion dollars for the jeans company, and I’m good with that. Because, you know what? I’ll get another job.”
The ad, which humorously played on the concept of genetics, featured Sweeney saying, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue,” as the camera zoomed in on her eyes. Critics accused the campaign of referencing “eugenics,” while others defended it as a lighthearted wordplay.
American Eagle addressed the backlash on Aug. 1 in a social media statement: “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans — her jeans, her story,” the brand said. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Despite the noise, Sweeney continues to rise as one of Hollywood’s most-watched stars, with Euphoria season 3 currently in production and a growing slate of new projects cementing her place on the A-list.
