Sydney Sweeney just shared some brutally honest insight into her experience as a woman in Hollywood.
As I’m sure you know, Sydney is one of her generation’s most prominent up-and-coming actors, having starred in hit shows like Euphoria and The White Lotus, as well as more recent movies like Immaculate and Anyone But You.
And while she’s quickly becoming one of the most sought-after stars in Hollywood, both as an actor and a top producer, not everyone has been so supportive of her rise.
As you may remember, earlier this year, Sydney was unfairly criticized by a Hollywood producer who — totally unprovoked — questioned her talent following the global success of Anyone But You, which made over $220 million at the box office.
According to reports, Carol Baum — who produced projects like Father of the Bride and Buffy the Vampire Slayer — told New York Times film critic Janet Maslin that she didn’t understand Sydney’s success because she’s “not pretty” and “can’t act.”
At the time, a representative for Sydney hit back at the comments, saying in a statement provided to Variety that Baum’s disparaging remarks about a “fellow female producer” spoke “volumes” about her character.
Now, in a new interview with Vanity Fair, Sydney was asked about her decision to respond to Baum’s comments, prompting her to pull back the curtain on the wider issues women in Hollywood face.
Sydney then said that the idea of “women empowering other women” in Hollywood is a facade to mask the negativity behind the scenes in the industry.
Analyzing the possible reasons for this, Sydney suggested that the problem stems from women and girls being raised to believe they must compete for the top spot in all aspects of life.