Singer and actress Halsey has publicly defended their new film, Americana, which has reportedly underperformed at the box office due to a recent controversy surrounding their co-star, Sydney Sweeney. The backlash stems from Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign, which many online critics have accused of having racial undertones.
The controversy began after an American Eagle ad campaign with the tagline, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” sparked accusations of being racially insensitive. Critics on social media argued that the pun on “genes” historically has been used to celebrate whiteness and attractiveness, making the campaign tone-deaf.
As the controversy intensified, Sweeney’s new film Americana, a crime thriller written and directed by Tony Tost, began to suffer at the box office. In response, Halsey took to Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to address the situation. In a now-deleted Instagram Story, Halsey wrote, “I don’t, however, think that it’s fair for the news cycle to predatorily rip a hardworking director and his hardworking crew for their film that is completely separate from and unrelated to a (pretty dumb) advertising take.” They urged fans to see the film, praising Tost’s vision.
Halsey also clarified their own stance on X, stating, “I’m not upset the film’s release is being hurt by the timing. I am upset that a bunch of non-celebrity people involved in this film are being bullied by the media.” They added that they have said all they are permitted to say about the ad and pushed back against accusations of supporting eugenics.
Americana is a crime thriller that premiered at SXSW in 2023. In addition to Sweeney and Halsey, the film also stars Paul Walter Hauser.