Sydney Sweeney Admits Her Silence Over American Eagle Ad Backlash ‘Widened The Divide’

Actor Sydney Sweeney is speaking out about the controversy surrounding her American Eagle denim ad, and now claims to have a different perspective on the fallout.

Sweeney, who has blue eyes and blonde hair, appeared in a “great jeans” campaign for the clothing company in July that included an ad with a play on the words “jeans” and “genes.”

In one ad, Sweeney said, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”

Social media users slammed the ad’s wordplay, arguing that it had white supremacist undertones and could be interpreted as a wink to eugenics, the racist and inaccurate theory that human genetics can be improved through selective and controlled breeding of populations.

President Donald Trump and other members of his administration praised Sweeney in the wake of the online backlash. Not long after, she was outed as a registered Republican.

In an interview with People, Sweeney said she was “honestly surprised” by the public’s reaction to the ad.

“I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand,” she said. “I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.”

“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness,” Sweeney added.

In the past, Sweeney refused to comment on negative or positive press. This time, she felt compelled to respond.

″…Recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us,” she said.

Over the summer, American Eagle defended Sweeney’s appearance in the ad campaign.

“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the company stated. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”