Sydney Sweeney, a name that’s been lighting up screens and magazine covers for the past few years, found herself at the center of a cultural firestorm this August. Her latest film, Americana, a crime thriller directed by Tony Tost and co-starring Paul Walter Hauser and singer Halsey, was released widely on August 15, 2025. Despite the star-studded cast and a promising premise—Sweeney plays Penny Jo Poplin, a small-town diner waitress with dreams of country stardom who becomes entangled in a dangerous struggle over a rare Native American artifact—the film’s box office debut fell short of expectations.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Americana opened in approximately 1,100 theaters across the United States and earned an estimated $500,000 to $840,000 during its opening weekend. That averages out to a modest $455 to $460 per theater, a figure that pales in comparison to recent blockbusters like Weapons ($25 million), Freakier Friday ($14.5 million), and Nobody 2 ($9.3 million). For a film with such recognizable names, the numbers raised eyebrows throughout Hollywood.
So, what went wrong? Industry analysts and entertainment reporters were quick to link the film’s lackluster performance to a recent controversy involving Sweeney herself. In late July 2025, American Eagle launched a new ad campaign starring the actress. Dubbed “Sydney Has Great Jeans”—a playful pun on “good genes”—the campaign featured Sweeney discussing how “genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color.” She closed the spot with a cheeky, “My jeans are blue.”
But what was meant to be a clever play on words quickly spiraled into a heated online debate. Some critics accused the campaign of harboring racist undertones and invoking imagery uncomfortably close to that of Nazi-era eugenics. The backlash was swift and fierce, with celebrities like Doja Cat and Lizzo openly mocking the ad on their social media platforms. According to Deadline, the controversy grew to such proportions that American Eagle was compelled to issue a public statement, saying, “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
The situation escalated further when President Donald Trump weighed in on the matter, posting on Truth Social, “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ Go get ‘em Sydney!” Trump’s endorsement, while enthusiastic, only added fuel to the already raging fire, highlighting Sweeney’s political affiliations and deepening the cultural divide simmering beneath the surface.
Public records later confirmed that Sweeney has been registered with the Republican Party in Florida’s Monroe County since June 2024. For some fans, this revelation was a bridge too far. As reported by MARCA, Sweeney’s own social media promotion for Americana was met with a barrage of critical comments referencing both the American Eagle campaign and her political registration. One Instagram user commented, “Thank you for posting, I forgot to unfollow before lol.” Another wrote, “Bye Sydney! Being a registered Republican in 2024 is a choice.” And a third, more bluntly, stated, “Perfect, won’t be watching it.”
It’s a moment that perfectly encapsulates the challenges facing celebrities in the age of social media and political polarization. As Deadline noted, while the film was never projected to be a major blockbuster hit, the combination of Sweeney’s off-screen controversies and the current era of “cancel culture” likely played a significant role in Americana’s muted reception. “Polarizing public sentiment and social media backlash can significantly impact box office performance, particularly for smaller theatrical releases such as this one,” the outlet observed.
Still, not all the news is bleak for Sweeney or for Lionsgate, the film’s distributor. Despite the disappointing opening, Deadline reported that Americana is still expected to be profitable for Lionsgate, thanks to its modest production budget and potential for digital and international sales. The film’s ensemble cast, including Paul Walter Hauser and Halsey, has also drawn praise for their performances, and Sweeney’s portrayal of Penny Jo Poplin has been highlighted as a testament to her versatility as an actress.
But the broader story here is one of image, reputation, and the shifting landscape of celebrity influence. In the past, a star’s off-screen life might have been managed quietly behind the scenes; today, every ad campaign, political registration, and Instagram post is scrutinized, dissected, and debated in real time. As MARCA put it, “The situation highlights the importance of a clean public image in the current era of political accountability and cancel culture.”
Even American Eagle, caught in the crossfire, found itself defending its decision to stand by Sweeney and the campaign. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone,” the company reiterated, attempting to steer the conversation back to inclusivity and self-expression.
For Sweeney, the experience has been a crash course in the perils of fame in 2025. She tried to focus on the work, sharing behind-the-scenes photos from the set of Americana and expressing excitement for fans to meet her character. “A few years ago I filmed this little movie with some friends and now you get to meet penny jo,” she wrote on Instagram. But the comments section told a different story, one where art and artist are increasingly inseparable in the eyes of the public.
As the dust settles, the fate of Americana may serve as a cautionary tale for studios, brands, and stars alike. In a world where a single ad campaign or political affiliation can sway public perception—and, by extension, ticket sales—navigating the intersection of art, commerce, and identity has never been more fraught or more consequential. For now, Sweeney and her collaborators can only hope that, over time, audiences will remember the movie for its story and performances, rather than the headlines that overshadowed its debut.
