Hollywood Producer Wonders Why Sydney Sweeney Is So Hot: 'She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act'
Sydney Sweeney's popularity in Hollywood baffled at least one producer, according to a report.
The 26-year-old actress starred as Haley Caren in "In the Vault" in 2017 and Emaline Addario on Netflix's "Everything Sucks!" in 2018. She rose to fame when she appeared on "Euphoria" and in the first season of the anthology series "The White Lotus." From there, she went on to star in three movies in the past six months -- "Anyone but You," "Madame Web," and "Immaculate." However, producer Carol Baum wasn't impressed by the actress' talent and looks.
"There's an actress who everybody loves now -- Sydney Sweeney," Baum recently told the New York Times film critic Janet Maslin, the Daily Mail reported. "I don't get Sydney Sweeney. I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeney's movie because I wanted to watch it. I wanted to know who she is and why everybody's talking about her."
Baum watched Sweeney's rom-com opposite Glen Powell, "Anyone but You." However, the producer remained unimpressed and called the film "unwatchable."
"I watched this unwatchable movie -- sorry to people who love this movie -- [this] romantic comedy where they hate each other," she said.
She didn't hide her impression of Sweeney from her class. The producer teaches producing classes at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
"I said to my class, 'Explain this girl to me. She's not pretty, she can't act. Why is she so hot?'" Baum continued.
"Nobody had an answer, but then the question was asked, 'Well if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it?' I said, 'Well that's a really good question... that's a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made, and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made.'"
Baum has produced 34 films, including the remake of "Dead Ringers." She is married to playwright Tom Baum.
Although Baum wasn't impressed by Sweeney's performance, fans gave her acting skills a thumbs-up. They also defended her from Baum's statements.
"First of all, Sydney Sweeney is hot. Second, she's attractive. Third, she's absolutely pretty. And as far as her acting ability, she's got huge acting ability...," one fan reacted to Baum's statement.
"So I just watched @sydney_sweeney new horror movie 'Immaculate.' It was great and that ending OMFG. Sydney [S]weeney really showed her acting skills and may even win an [O]scar at some point in her career. Good for her!" another fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"[I] just watched 'Immaculate' and let me just say yall are sleeping on Sydney Sweeney's acting talent, she's phenomenal," someone else said.
Sweeney has received multiple nominations and awards for her acting skills over the years. She was nominated at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards for Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for "Reality" and received two nominations for Primetime Emmy in 2022 for her performances on "The White Lotus" and "Euphoria."
In 2010, the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival recognized her as the Best Actress for the Short Film Award for her performance in "Takeo."
This year, she has already received two awards for her performance in the thriller-drama "Reality" -- Best Actress in Limited Series or Movie Made for Television at Critics Choice Awards and Best Actress in a Leading Role - Made for TV Movie at Gracie Awards.
