Cinema VinesActress Sydney Sweeney has once again found herself at the centre of a public debate after starring in a sports‑trading app advertisement that many critics say crosses the line into sexualisation. The commercial, produced for Novig, shows Sweeney almost nude while holding a range of sporting equipment – footballs, basketballs, hockey pads and tennis racquets – to conceal herself. The clip was released shortly after the American Eagle controversy and was immediately met with backlash from athletes and commentators who accused the campaign of objectifying women’s sports.
In response to the criticism, Sweeney took to her Instagram Stories on Monday to defend the ad. She posted a still from the commercial alongside a collage of ESPN photoshoots featuring high‑profile athletes such as Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Caroline Wozniacki, Myles Garrett, Rob Gronkowski, Karl‑Anthony Towns and Jason Kelce. The images were presented as evidence that athletes have long posed without clothing in the service of their sport, implying that Sweeney’s portrayal was no different.
The move sparked a wave of negative comments on Reddit and other social media platforms. One user wrote, “They are professional athletes. They are not promoting gambling like Sydney,” while another noted, “It is not that you are naked too – it is WHY.” A third commenter added, “One can absolutely see the difference in the intent behind the professional athletes showing their bodies and the ad campaign SS did… one looks like art and the other looks cheap.”
Critics went further, arguing that the ad reduced sport to a backdrop for objectification and gambling promotion. “Sydney’s ad is a cosplay that promotes her own brand of objectification along with gambling, and honestly makes a mockery of the field,” one user complained. “She is not an athlete. Their media campaigns were a direct protest against those comments and gender roles/stereotypes. SS has no concept of whatever subversion is,” another added.
Sweeney’s recent work includes a return to the HBO series Euphoria in its third season, where she reprises her role as Cassie. The show, which also stars Zendaya and Jacob Elordi, received mixed reviews and is now available on JioHotstar. She has also appeared in the sports drama Christy and the thriller The Housemaid.
