Sydney Sweeney is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in Hollywood, building off her star-turning role in HBO’s Euphoria. Sweeney has appeared in many projects over the past few years, such as Madame Web, Anyone But You, and Immaculate, so she’s shown she can tackle a wide range of genres too. The downside to fame like that is increased attention from the paparazzi.
In an interview with Glamour, Sweeney explained how photographers come to her Florida home and harass her and her family. In one particular instance, she said the paparazzi yelled at her family members when asking if Sweeney could come outside in a bikini.
“They said, ‘If you tell her to just come outside in a bikini, I’ll take pictures and then I’ll leave you alone,’” Sweeney told Glamour. On social media, people speculated that she had called the paparazzi herself, something she vehemently denies. “Why would I call the paparazzi to take pictures of me at my own house when my baby cousins and family are there and I’m in my backyard? Why would I ever want that? I have pictures of these guys in kayaks hiding in bushes in the ocean. They got there at 8 a.m. and wouldn’t leave until 4 p.m. I should be able to be in my home and feel comfortable and safe.”
Despite that invasion of privacy, Sweeney said it wasn’t the pictures that bothered her the most. Instead, she was more concerned about how easy it is to find out where she lives and explained that’s what puts her at risk.
“When those photos go out, then my actual safety is at risk. Everyone knows where I am. Now there’s boats that go by, and I literally hear them say, ‘This is Sydney Sweeney’s house.’ It becomes a star tour in my front yard.”
Sydney Sweeney Has Plenty of Work Lined Up
While Madame Web was a box office flop, it hasn’t slowed Sydney Sweeney down in the slightest. The 27-year-old actress had her film Eden debut at TIFF back in September, and she’s also starring in a thriller called Echo Valley and an unnamed boxing biopic next year. The latter follows the life of Christy Martin, a real-life former boxer who Sweeney is portraying. Martin is considered the person who legitimized women’s boxing, and that’s what Sweeney cited as a selling point for her.
“I grappled and did kickboxing from 12 to 19 years old. I’ve been itching to get back into the ring, train and transform my body,” Sweeney said. “Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding. There’s a lot of weight to carry, but I love challenging myself. Christy Martin not only legitimized female boxing, she overcame gender stereotypes, and fought through emotional, physical, and financial abuse.”
The film is still filling out its cast, so it could still be quite a while before audiences get to see the final product. Echo Valley, also starring Julianne Moore, is produced by Apple TV+, so it might end up skipping theaters and appearing directly on the streaming service.