CNN- Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney lashed out at what she calls “false” statements about the empowerment of women in the entertainment industry.
Sweeney made the comments in an interview with Vanity Fair, in response to widely reported comments from Hollywood producer Carol Baum earlier this year, who said that Sweeney “isn’t pretty” and “can’t act.”
At the time, Sweeney’s team issued a statement calling the comments “shameful.”
Now, the actress and producer has hit back and linked the derogatory comments to what she says is a broader problem in the industry.
“It is very disheartening to see women put down other women, especially when women who are successful in other sectors of their industry see young talent working very hard – in the hope of achieving their dreams – and then try to discredit and discredit the work they have done,” Sweeney said.
“In this entire industry, the only thing they say is ‘women empowering other women.’ None of that happens. “That’s all false and a cover for all the other s**t they say behind everyone’s back.”
“I mean, there are so many studies and different opinions about the reasoning behind it,” he continued.
“I have read that throughout our lives we have been educated—and it is a generational problem—to believe that only a woman can be at the top. There is a woman who can get the man. “There’s a woman who can be, I don’t know, anything,” Sweeney said.
“So everyone else feels like they have to fight each other or tear that woman down instead of saying, ‘Let’s lift each other up.’ I’m still trying to understand it. I do the best I can. Why are they attacking me?”
Sweeney, whose roles in “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus” earned her two Emmy nominations, is currently working on a biopic about famed boxer Christy Martin, and in October she shared an update about the project on Instagram.
In the post, Sweeney wrote that she “has been immersed in training to bring the story of an incredible woman to life.”
She shared two photos of herself on set wearing a red bodybuilding t-shirt that showed off the physical results of her workout, along with a ’90s-style curly hairstyle.
In the caption, Sweeney describes Martin – considered the most successful female boxer and a pioneer of the inclusion of women in the sport – as a “true champion who fought battles both inside and outside the ring.”
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What specific steps can women in the entertainment industry take to support and uplift each other according to Sydney Sweeney?
Guests:
1. Sydney Sweeney, Actress and Producer
2. Maria Garcia, Sociologist and Gender Studies Expert
Interviewer: Good day, everyone. We are here today with Sydney Sweeney and Maria Garcia to discuss the challenges faced by women in the entertainment industry and the importance of empowering one another. Sydney, you recently made headlines with your comments on the issue of women supporting each other in the industry. Could you tell us more about your experiences and why you think there’s a problem?
Sydney Sweeney: Absolutely. As an actress and producer, I’ve been in the industry for quite some time now and have faced my fair share of challenges and setbacks. I believe that the main issue lies in the fact that there’s a lot of talk about women empowering one another, but not much action is taken. When we see successful women being put down by others in the industry, it’s disheartening because it goes against everything that we stand for. It’s difficult to understand why there’s this need to compete and bring each other down instead of lifting each other up.
Maria Garcia: Sydney, I totally agree with you. As a sociologist and gender studies expert, I’ve studied the dynamics in the entertainment industry for quite some time now. In my research, I’ve found that women have been conditioned from childhood to view other women as rivals rather than allies. This mindset is often reinforced by the media and society at large, which perpetuates stereotypes about successful women being mean or aggressive. We need to change this narrative and start supporting each other more actively.
Interviewer: That’s an interesting perspective, Maria. Sydney, you also touched upon the issue of women’s representation in sports and how it relates to the entertainment industry. Could you expand on that?
Sydney Sweeney: Sure. I’m currently working on a biopic about the legendary boxer Christy Martin, who was the first female boxer to achieve widespread success in the sport. Her story is a powerful one, as she not only faced fierce opponents in the ring but also battled against the misogynistic attitudes towards women in boxing.
