Actor Sharon Stone, known for her roles in Basic Instinct, Sliver, and The Quick and the Dead, has come out to defend her co-star Sydney Sweeney. Stone has joined the cast of Euphoria for Season 3, and was able to connect with Sweeney during the backlash for her appearance in a campaign for American Eagle Outfitters. After Sweeney’s face showed up in thousands of ads with the slogan “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” many criticized the campaign for various reasons, putting the actor at the center of the crossfire, and the controversy snowballed.
As reported by Variety, Stone was present at their Power of Women Los Angeles event. Sweeney was one of the evening’s honorees, and Stone used the opportunity to praise her work and defend her against the recent controversy. The Nobody 2 star basically said that Sweeney shouldn’t be afraid to use her good looks, and that in this industry, it’s “hard to be hot”:
“It’s okay to use what mama gave you. It’s really fine. It’s hard to be hot, and I think we all know that. It’s really okay to use every bit of hotness you have — right here, right now — and go for whatever that is. Everybody has their own certain 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 then shared some details about her conversation with Sweeney on the Euphoria set. Apparently, Sweeney has no complaints about the American Eagle campaign:
“Because I was co-godparents with Jane Goodall, I said, ‘When Jane was on the cover of Life Magazine for her work with gorillas, she was in her safari shorts and shirt, sitting with one of the animals that she was working with. Other scientists said, ‘Well, she only got the cover of Life Magazine because she had good legs.’ And Jane said, ‘Well, if I did, then that helped me get more money for my research.’ Sydney said, ‘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.'”
Just Like Sharon Stone, Sydney Sweeney Is Far More Than a Pretty Face
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After she became one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars in the early ’90s, Stone faced her own set of controversies, most of them associated with her being marketed as a sex symbol after starring in Basic Instinct. The erotic thriller shot Stone to stardom as a gorgeous femme fatale — and typecast her for years, something she’s openly addressed as negatively affecting her life.
Hopefully, Sweeney can continue to find roles that allow her to show her range. She’s done well so far, with noteworthy performances in Echo Valley, Euphoria and Immaculate, and will be seen next in Christy, a sports biopic about the life and career of boxer Christy Martin. It could be a career-defining role, given her physical transformation and how starkly it diverges from her past projects.
It’s also a great opportunity to campaign for an Oscar nomination, considering the Academy’s love for biographical performances. Stone can attest to the benefits of going the dramatic route; after all, she earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s Casino.