Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Sydney Sweeney appears to have responded to the storm surrounding her stripped-down sports campaign by sharing a string of photographs of famous athletes who have previously posed naked for the camera.
The 29-year-old Euphoria actress posted the images to Instagram Stories on Sunday (13.09.26) after her campaign for sports prediction market Novig prompted criticism online.
Sydney, who became a strategic partner and equity holder in the company before fronting its first national advertising campaign, shared photographs from ESPN’s former Body Issue alongside the message: “It’s game dayy.”
Sydney has not publicly stated why she posted the photographs or directly addressed the criticism of the campaign.
The images she shared included previous shoots featuring tennis great Serena Williams, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey, basketball star Sue Bird, footballer Megan Rapinoe, tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, NFL star Myles Garrett, former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, basketball player Karl-Anthony Towns and former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce.
The posts followed the release of Sydney’s “Just Sports” campaign for Novig on Wednesday (09.09.26), in which the actress posed naked with strategically positioned footballs, basketballs, tennis equipment, hockey gear and other sporting props.
Sydney’s relationship with the company goes beyond a conventional endorsement.
She holds equity in Novig and was involved in developing the campaign, although the size of her stake has not been disclosed.
Explaining the idea behind the advert in a statement released when the campaign launched, Sydney said the campaign was about embracing a “fun idea”.
She added: “The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor and a playful edge.”
The campaign generated millions of views across social media after its release and attracted criticism from users who objected to its imagery.
Sydney has not issued a direct response to those comments.
She has previously spoken about public discussion of her appearance and the scrutiny she has faced during her rise to fame.
Speaking to Variety in 2024, Sydney said: “I see it, and I just can’t allow myself to have a reaction. I don’t know how to explain it; I’m still trying to figure it out myself. People feel connected and free to be able to speak about me in whatever way they want because they believe that I’ve signed my life away. It’s this weird relationship that people have with me that I have no control or say over.”
Sydney became internationally known as Cassie Howard in HBO’s Euphoria, the Sam Levinson-created drama starring Zendaya, alongside Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie and Maude Apatow.
The series ended earlier this year after its third season, with HBO confirming the May finale would also serve as the programme’s final episode. Sydney’s portrayal of Cassie earned her an Emmy nomination and frequently placed her character’s appearance and relationships at the centre of the show’s storylines.
