Sydney Sweeney Declares She’s “Against Hate” After American Eagle Ad

Months after her American Eagle campaign sparked backlash, Sydney Sweeney is addressing the fallout around the ad’s public perception.

The 2x Emmy nominee recently said she “was honestly surprised by the reaction” to her ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans‘ campaign, which drew controversy and accusations of veiled racism upon its release in July over the use of “jeans” as a double entendre for “genes.”

“I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand,” Sweeney told People. “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.”

Sweeney explained that she “leads with kindness” and felt the need to clarify her stance following a recent interview question on the topic that went viral for her response.

“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,” added Sweeney. “So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.”

Following Sweeney’s controversial blue jeans ad, which appeared to be a nod to Brooke Shields’ infamous 1980 Calvin Klein campaign, American Eagle brushed off the backlash in a statement that the ad “is and always was about the jeans.” Meanwhile, Donald Trump endorsed the ad, saying, “If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”