The Daily Mail reported that Zendaya is “refusing” to do press calls with Sweeney for the upcoming third season of Euphoria, which wrapped filming earlier this month.
Actresses Sydney Sweeney and Zendaya are reportedly in a growing feud amid the ongoing political tension in the country.
The two A-list actresses were reportedly good friends while on-set of the HBO series Euphoria. Sweeney has previously expressed how “lucky” she is to work with Zendaya. However, tensions have reportedly escalated into what sources described as a “bitter feud” with political undertones, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
The alleged rift comes amid controversy over Sweeney’s recent American Eagle jeans commercial, which used a play on words referencing both “jeans” and “genes.” The ad sparked backlash from left-wing critics who accused it of implying genetic superiority, when in reality it was a pun referencing Sweeney’s physical attractiveness.
Sweeney has refused to apologize for the campaign. She also called the attention it received from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance “surreal.” The actress has been rumored to lean conservative politically, though she has not publicly confirmed her views.
Zendaya, who has been outspoken in opposition to Trump, is reportedly seeking to distance herself from her co-star. The Daily Mail reported that she is “refusing” to do press calls with Sweeney for the upcoming third season of Euphoria, which wrapped filming earlier this month. One source told the outlet, “It’s no wonder she’s refusing to do it. It’s a difficult position for Zendaya to be in because if she even stands next to Sydney on the red carpet, it can be read as her excusing Sydney’s views on Trump and her refusal to apologise for the racist ad.”
In a recent GQ interview, Sweeney was questioned directly about the controversy and was essentially asked to apologize for the advertisement.
“The criticism of the content, which is that maybe, specifically in this political climate, white people shouldn’t joke about genetic superiority, and I wanted to give you the opportunity to talk about that specifically,” interviewer Katherine Stoeffel said.
“When I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear,” Sweneey calmly replied.
The interview went viral, with many viewers praising Sweeney for refusing to apologize despite pressure from the media and activists who have falsely claimed the ad promoted racist and white-supremacist views.
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