Who Is Sydney Sweeney?
Sydney Sweeney is a rising Hollywood star who has made a name for herself as an actor ... and for her massive online presence. She has worked steadily since 2009, but things began to pop in 2018 when she appeared in "Everything Sucks!" on Netflix and "The Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu, via IMDb. The next year, Sweeney's role as Cassie Howard on HBO's smash-hit teen drama "Euphoria" contributed to her soaring popularity. That was not her only highlight of 2019 however, as she also appeared in "Big Time Adolescence" opposite Pete Davidson, and scored a role in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood."
On top of her television and film appearances, Sweeney has continued working on getting a college degree. "I want to be able to read my contracts and know what the hell they say when I'm making $20 million so I'm not getting f****d over," Sweeney recalled telling a producer with Cosmopolitan in 2019. "You will always be the number one person looking out for yourself."
Sweeney's talents extend beyond her acting range, as she is also a trained martial artist. "I started when I was 14 and did my first competition at 18," the star revealed to Marie Claire. "It was a grappling competition against all guys a weight category above me, and I got first place." If we've piqued your interest, keep reading to find out more about the impressive young star.
She keeps her dating life private
A quick glance at Sydney Sweeney's acting credits could show anyone how hard she works, but fans may be surprised at how dedicated the actor is to her craft. In preparation for a small role in the 2010 horror movie "The Ward," a young Sweeney went to extreme lengths to channel the fear of her character. "I had my parents lock me in the crawl space of our house and leave me in there for as long as I could stand it just to see what it felt like," she told Backstage in June 2020.
Sweeney carried that dedication into adulthood, as she avoided the pitfalls of partying and drama that often accompany on-screen success. "Sometimes I'm worried that because I'm not crazy or I don't do anything, that I'm just going to trail off," she told Elite Daily in December 2019. "Drug and alcohol abuse, and addiction, runs in my family ... I just never really cared to try any of it."
The star has also put in serious work to keep her dating life private. As covered by The Things, Sweeney had been spotted by the paparazzi with restaurateur David Davino on several occasions. The two were photographed putting on a serious show of PDA in November 2020 while in Hawaii, per Just Jared, but Sweeney did not confirm whether the two were a couple.
Keep reading to see what viral campaign Sweeney was a part of.
Her struggles with confidence
Along with Sydney Sweeney's on-screen success, she has gained online notoriety for her stunning looks. The "Sharp Objects" actor was selected as a brand ambassador for Rihanna's Savage X Fenty lingerie brand. A series of pastel-themed photos published on Fenty's Twitter account in June 2020 went viral.
Elite Daily asked Sweeney how she felt about being typecast as a blond bombshell during their December 2019 interview. "I mean, if I can play a blonde bombshell that would be great," she replied. The interviewer noted Sweeney was "battling impostor syndrome" and "seems surprised anyone would see her as such."
Although many fans may view her as the bonafide beauty who stars in "Euphoria" and appears in lingerie campaigns, Sweeney has struggled with self-image in the past. "Confidence is something I wish I'd had when I was younger with my self-image and my body," she told Backstage. "I had some meat on my bones, and I felt very self-conscious next to other girls," Sweeney admitted.
Keep reading to see how online trolls caused the actor to publicly break down.
Sydney Sweeney's emotional response
On May 9, Sydney Sweeney took to social media and confessed, through tears, that a recent viral tweet that mocked her appearance had an impact on her emotionally. "Apparently I'm trending on Twitter right now for being ugly," the actor said during an Instagram Live session (via Page Six). The "Euphoria" star said it was a rarity for her to acknowledge the negative comments, but she wanted to send a message. "I think it's really important for people to see how words actually affect people," she said. "I know everyone says, 'You can't read things,' and 'you shouldn't read things,' but like, I'm a f****** person," Sweeney added. "I'm just sitting here with my dog ... watching HGTV, wearing my snuggie."
Clips of the actor's tearful response went viral and many fans came to her defense. "I won't forget y'all for making [S]ydney [S]weeney cry," one person tweeted. "[S]ydney [S]weeney crying on live cuz some of y'all think twitter is mean girls the movie," another Twitter user added.
On May 11, Sweeney appeared on Yahoo! Life's "The Unwind," which is a series on mental wellness. She echoed her comments that "everyone has feelings" and added that "it's okay if you don't feel confident one day, but just know that you're beautiful, no matter what."