Sydney Sweeney breaks silence on “MAGA Barbie” label

Sydney Sweeney has responded to claims branding her a “MAGA Barbie,” addressing political speculation that has followed her in recent years.

The Euphoria star, 28, has been increasingly associated with right-wing politics after reports confirmed she is a registered Republican. However, Sweeney has consistently pushed back against efforts to frame her as a political symbol.

In a recent Cosmopolitan interview, when asked about the label, she told the publication: “I’ve never been here to talk about politics. I’ve always been here to make art, so this is just not a conversation I want to be at the forefront of. And I think because of that, people want to take it even further and use me as their own pawn. But it’s somebody else assigning something to me, and I can’t control that.”

Also in the interview, Sweeney acknowledged that speaking out often feels like a no-win situation. She said she does not see herself as a hateful person but feels that denying accusations only invites further scrutiny, with critics assuming any response is performative. As a result, she explained that she has chosen to focus on continuing to be herself, guided by her own sense of who she is and what she stands for, while accepting that she cannot be universally liked.

When discussing her personal values outside of party politics, Sweeney emphasized that she has always tried to lead with love. She said she believes “love is love in every single form” and that kindness and respect should extend to everyone. Recalling her time on the set of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, she cited watching Brad Pitt spend time with crew members as an example of the kind of respect she admires and tries to emulate.

Sweeney also made it clear that she does not intend to publicly share her political beliefs with fans. She said she does not see herself as a political person and reiterated that her career is rooted in the arts, not activism.

According to Sweeney, storytelling—not political commentary—is the reason she became an actor, though she stressed that she does not believe in hate in any form and believes people should treat one another with respect and understanding.

Political speculation surrounding Sweeney’s image intensified after her American Eagle “Good Jeans” campaign sparked accusations that she—and the brand—were flirting with eugenics imagery.

In a separate GQ interview, when asked whether white people should avoid joking about genetic superiority during a fraught political moment, Sweeney responded: “I think that, when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.” She added that the ad “spoke for itself” and described reactions from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance as “surreal.”

She later addressed the controversy more directly. In December 2025, Sweeney told People: “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness. In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but 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.”

Sweeney most recently starred in The Housemaid, a psychological thriller alongside Amanda Seyfried. The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name and follows Sweeney’s character, Millie Calloway, an ex-con who becomes a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family—the Winchesters—made up of Nina (Seyfried), Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar), and their daughter Cece (Indiana Elle).

The movie has become the actor’s highest grossing movie. According to Variety, as of January 28, it grossed $116 million domestically and $189.1 million internationally.

She has also hit headlines recently following a publicity stunt promoting her new lingerie line, which involved hanging garments from the Hollywood sign. Video of Sweeney installing the Syrn pieces quickly sparked backlash. Steve Nissen, the chief executive of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce—which owns the sign’s intellectual property—told The New York Times that the stunt was unauthorized and that the organization had not been informed. Newsweek reached out to Sweeney’s publicist for comment via email outside of their normal working hours.