Sydney Sweeney has been leaving nothing to the imagination in recent episodes of Euphoria but the actress wants to be remembered for more than just taking her top off.
The 28-year-old has established herself as one of the biggest names in the business in recent years after playing Cassie on the hit HBO show, also starring in classic films such as Madame Web.
Although she's faced some controversy in recent times, with The White Lotus co-star Aimee Lou Wood even calling her out over her response to the controversial American Eagle ad, Sweeney continues to get new roles.
While she has shown some range, particularly in her performance as a boxer in Christy, the American actor is traditionally cast as the conventionally attractive character, who in the case of Euphoria, is regularly sexualised.
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And if you thought that her costumes in the first episode of the new series caused a stir, as she was seen wearing baby-like clothes, then the latest release has only stepped things up a notch, as she did a full-frontal nude scene featuring ice cream, baseball and the American flag. I wonder who the target audience might be there?
Anyway, despite the kickback to some of her scenes, Sweeney has been open about how playing Cassie has increased her own body confidence, while also pointing out the double standards when it comes to male actors' nude scenes in Hollywood.
She told Grazia: “When I saw The Voyeurs [Sweeney’s 2021 film] for the first time, I wondered if I’d done too much,” she admitted. “I researched celebrities who have done nude scenes, trying to make myself feel better.”
“There are hour-long compilations of world-famous male actors with nude scenes who win Oscars and get praised for that work,” she continued. “But the moment a woman does it, it degrades them. They’re not actresses. They just take off their tops so they can get a role.”
Sweeney has unsurprisingly faced comments such as these because of her previous roles, and her performance as an OnlyFans star in the latest season is only likely to increase these criticisms.
She added: “I don’t think as many people took me seriously in Euphoria because I took my shirt off.
“There’s such a double standard. I really hope I can have a little part in changing that.”
While her father and grandfather have since admitted that they have to leave the room when his daughter's naked scenes come on, Sweeney says she's 'disconnected from it', suggesting that it's like watching someone else.
She concluded: “When I get tagged in Cassie’s or The Voyeurs’ Pippa’s nudes, it feels like me looking at their nudes, not Sydney’s nudes.”
“When you film one of these scenes, it is so technical and so not romantic,” she added. “There are people staring at you, there’s pads between you, there’s nipple covers and weird sticker thongs all up in your butt.”
Actors are bound to face comments from social media trolls, many of whom are just jealous of their situation, but it seems as if Sweeney has no plans to stop some of her more x-rated scenes.
Topics: Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria, Celebrity
James Moorhouse