Legal issues Sydney Sweeney could face over Hollywood sign lingerie move

A legal expert has detailed the full charges Sydney Sweeney could face for her recent Hollywood Sign stunt, which saw her wrap several bras around the iconic landmark

Sydney Sweeney might be looking at some hefty legal consequences following her recent underwear publicity stunt at the famous Hollywood Sign, according to a legal expert.

The 28-year-old star recently recorded herself scaling the Hollywood Sign alongside her team, where she draped bras from her new underwear line, SYRN by Sydney Sweeney, across the monument’s lettering. The Housemaid star posted an Instagram video showing her and her companions approaching the sign in a darkened vehicle, all dressed in black for their covert nighttime operation.

The group crawled through an opening in the perimeter fence surrounding the sign, then used rope to hoist themselves up toward the letters. “Do you want to start here or there?” Sweeney inquired before they began wrapping her bras around the renowned landmark. “We’re going to get caught at this rate.” The marketing stunt has triggered significant criticism, but Dennis Hernandez, founding attorney of Dennis Hernandez Injury Attorneys, has revealed to Irish Star that the consequences could be far more severe for Sweeney.

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Although Sweeney allegedly obtained a FilmLA permit for shooting in the vicinity, she failed to secure approval from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which oversees access to the historic site. The stunt presents potential violations including trespassing, property damage, and unauthorized commercial exploitation of a protected monument.

Now, Hernandez has stated to Irish Star, “From a legal perspective, any commercial stunt involving the Hollywood Sign carries significant risk when the necessary permissions are not secured.

“Although a general permit from FilmLA may authorize filming in the vicinity, it does not authorize climbing on or altering the landmark itself or using it as a focal point for commercial advertising without express permission from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.”

Hernandez went on to say, “Depending on how the site was accessed, this could expose the production to civil claims such as trespassing and potential criminal charges under California law if authorities choose to pursue them. If any property was damaged during the stunt, vandalism or property damage claims could also arise.

“Potential consequences could include monetary damages and cease-and-desist orders, preventing further use of the sign’s image in marketing materials. Criminal charges are theoretically possible if the stunt violated trespass or vandalism laws, though civil enforcement is more likely.”

Hernandez wrapped up by saying, “In short, high-profile publicity stunts on protected landmarks carry significant legal risks, particularly when they involve unauthorized commercial exploitation of intellectual property and restricted physical access.”

After the video’s release, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which controls the sign, issued a statement confirming that an investigation into the stunt is currently taking place. In comments to TMZ, the organization stated, “We are still investigating how and under what authority (if any) the Sweeney production accessed the site of the Sign.”

In an email to TMZ, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also maintained that Sweeney’s production team could only film the sign with prior authorization from the organization. The Chamber noted, however, “There was no permission granted to do [the stunt] as is required.” Reports indicated that after the stunt occurred, Sweeney cleared away the bras, leaving behind only “4 or 5.”

Hollywood Chamber CEO Steve Nissen confirmed in a statement to the Irish Star that the organization had not authorized the production, after which “4 or 5” bras remained, with particular worry about the trademarked brand.

He explained, “The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce owns the intellectual property rights to the image of the Hollywood Sign, so that anyone intending to use and/or access the Hollywood Sign for commercial purposes must obtain a license or permission from the Hollywood Chamber to do so. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce did not grant a license or permission of any kind to the production involving Sydney Sweeney as reported by TMZ, nor did anyone seek a license or permission from the Chamber for that production.”

Sweeney has found herself embroiled in controversy throughout the past year. Following the viral success of her American Eagle jeans campaign, she faced accusations of promoting eugenics. The advertisement played on the similarity between “jeans” and “genes,” highlighting the star’s blonde hair and blue eyes as “good genes.” American Eagle rejected any suggestion that they were participating in a “Nazi dog whistle.”

During a December 2025 interview with PEOPLE, Sweeney responded to the criticism, stating, “I was honestly surprised by the reaction. I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. 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.”