Earlier this year, a surprising controversy arose when Sydney Sweeney became the subject of rather unflattering remarks from Carol Baum, a seasoned Hollywood producer. Baum criticized Sweeney’s appearance and acting skills, and disparaged her smash-hit romantic comedy, ‘Anyone but You,’ labeling it as ‘unwatchable.’ At the time, a spokesperson for Sweeney hit back at Baum’s comments, condemning the producer for having the gall to ‘attack another woman.’ Sweeney has since responded to the incident herself.
In a recent interview, Sydney Sweeney chose to address the incident. She expressed her disappointment at seeing women disparage other women, especially when those making the negative comments come from successful backgrounds within the same industry. She spoke about the struggles that young talents face, trying to achieve their aspirations, and how hurtful it is when established figures attempt to undermine and trivialize their contributions.
Sweeney further elaborated on the issue, lamenting the lack of genuine support and empowerment among women in the industry. She pointed to the industry’s rhetoric of ‘women empowering other women,’ but argued that this is often hollow and contradicts the behind-the-scenes reality. On the contrary, she suggested, there’s more backstabbing and fake friendship than true alliances.
Diving deeper into the problem, Sydney Sweeney discussed the possible reasons behind such attitudes. She quoted numerous studies and opinions that suggest the issue is deeply rooted in societal and generational conditioning. According to this line of thought, we’re brought up to believe in a sort of scarcity mindset—believing that there can be only one leading lady, one woman who reaps the benefits.
Continuing her point, she further explained this scarcity mindset, stating that it paints competition between women almost as a necessity. It results in women feeling pressured to compete with one another, or even bring each other down, instead of working together to lift each other up. Sweeney confessed that she is still working her way through these complexities.
Sydney expressed her confusion and disappointment as to why she was singled out for such harsh criticism. She concluded by saying that she is merely trying to do her best in an industry known for its fierce competition and harsh judgments, and the onslaught from Baum caught her off-guard.
Carol Baum, who has held long term positions as a Hollywood producer and executive behind films such as ‘Dead Ringers,’ ‘Father of the Bride,’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ made the damaging comments about Sweeney during a conversation in Pleasantville, N.Y., which added fuel to the brewing scandal.
On describing Sydney Sweeney, Baum stated, ‘I just do not understand Sydney Sweeney. I remarked to my class, ‘What is so special about this girl? In my eyes, she lacks beauty and talent. What makes her so sought-after?’ But no one could provide a satisfactory explanation.’ Her words soon grabbed the attention of the public and became a hot topic of discussion.
Sweeney’s spokesperson released a statement reacting to Carol Baum’s comments, which proceeded to spread like wildfire across social media. The statement read: ‘It is regrettable that a woman, who is in a position to provide guidance and share her extensive knowledge, has chosen to target another woman instead.’
The statement from Sweeney’s representative continued, expressing disappointment in Carol Baum for the harsh critique of Sydney. They stated that if Baum’s behavior is an illustration of her years of experience in the film industry, then it is deplorable. It condemned Baum for her choice to unfairly criticize a fellow female producer, highlighting that it says more about Baum’s character than anything else.