Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney has drawn a hard line in Hollywood‘s latest culture-war flashpoint, rejecting the ‘MAGA Barbie’ label and warning that she will no longer allow political factions to weaponise her image.
In a rare and candid interview, the 28-year-old actress said she has been turned into a ‘pawn’ by commentators eager for clicks, headlines and ideological ownership.
Speaking to Cosmopolitan, in a defiant cover story for the 2026 Love Issue, published on Thursday, 29 January, Sweeney addressed the ‘MAGA Barbie’ moniker that has shadowed her since her family’s 2022 birthday hoedown.
The interview took place in New York and coincided with a career-defining moment: the launch of her highly inclusive lingerie line, SYRN, and her critically acclaimed performance in The Housemaid. This also comes after a year of intense digital scrutiny surrounding her controversial American Eagle ‘Great Jeans’ campaign.
The controversy also involves Donald Trump, who in August 2025 praised her for having the ‘HOTTEST ad out there,’ and a vocal contingent of right-wing fans who have adopted her as an ‘Aryan’ icon.
While it was revealed in August 2025 that she had registered as a Republican in Summerland Key, Florida, Sweeney has now clarified that she is ‘not a political person’ and has ‘never been here to talk about politics.’
Sweeney’s intervention follows a series of incidents in which her image was co-opted by various political groups. From a 2022 family birthday party featuring ‘Blue Lives Matter’ shirts to a July 2025 American Eagle campaign that some critics branded as ‘eugenics propaganda’ for its focus on her ‘genes,’ the actress has struggled to maintain an apolitical stance. She told Cosmopolitan that she has finally realised her silence was ‘widening the divide,’ prompting her to speak out against those who use her likeness to serve their own ‘headlines and clickbait.’
The ‘Pawn’ Narrative and the Lingerie Pivot
The ‘pawn’ comment marks a significant shift in Sweeney’s strategy. She argued that because she does not specify her beliefs, people ‘take it even further’ by projecting their own values onto her. ‘It’s somebody else assigning something to me, and I can’t control that,’ she noted, adding that there is ‘no winning’ when trying to correct social media assumptions.
To reclaim her narrative, Sweeney has leaned into her business ventures, specifically her SYRN lingerie brand, which offers 44 sizes ranging from 30B to 42DDD. By pairing her political rebuttal with her appearance in W Magazine’s ‘Best Performances’ issue, where she posed covered in gold body paint as an ‘Old Hollywood‘ icon, the actress is attempting to pivot from a political talking point to a self-made mogul. The brand launch was further amplified by a controversial stunt on January 26, where Sweeney and her team hung bras over the Hollywood sign without authorisation from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
A Career Built on Art, Not Ideology
Despite the ‘MAGA Barbie’ label, Sweeney remains steadfastly committed to the arts. She reiterated that she became an actor to ‘tell stories,’ not to serve as a figurehead for any movement. Her recent roles in The Housemaid and the upcoming Christy Martin biopic highlight a focus on complex, often flawed characters, which she feels the public often confuses with her personal identity.
Sweeney appears to be ‘slowly pulling herself away’ from the healthy-unhealthy cycle of online commentary. By firmly stating ‘I know what I stand for,’ she is drawing a line under the political speculation. For the actress, the goal is to remain a ‘principled individual’ who is defined by her creative output rather than the partisan labels her ‘pawn-seeking’ detractors attempt to impose.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
