Sydney Sweeney Dead in Hollywood Over Raunchy Bra Stunt — 'She's Not Interested In Impressing Lefty Stars Anymore'
Sydney Sweeney has been branded radioactive in parts of Hollywood after a provocative late-night stunt for her new brand.
Jan. 28 2026, Published 4:38 p.m. ET
Sydney Sweeney has been branded radioactive in parts of Hollywood after a provocative late-night stunt at the Hollywood sign, with insiders telling RadarOnline.com the actress is now openly defiant and insisting she is "not interested in impressing lefty stars anymore" as backlash mounts over her approach to fame and branding.
The Euphoria star, 28, scaled the landmark sign in Los Angeles this month to promote her newly launched SYRN lingerie label, backed by Jeff Bezos.
Lingerie Brand Launch and the Hollywood Sign Stunt
Sydney Sweeney scaled the Hollywood sign to promote her new lingerie brand, SYRN.
Footage posted to her Instagram shows Sweeney and her team driving into the Hollywood Hills, loading duffle bags filled with bras and climbing the 45-foot structure under cover of darkness.
Dressed in black, Sweeney is seen laughing as the group dodges security, saying: "We're gonna get caught at this rate," before posing with the bras draped across the sign.
A source close to the stunt said: "Sydney knows exactly how this looks in this town, but she does not care anymore. She's sick of being sidelined after the backlash over the likes of her American Eagle ad, and she's tired of being written off as a bimbo.
"From her point of view, she built a global profile and still gets patronized. She's not interested in impressing lefty stars anymore, and this was her way of showing she's done playing by their rules."
Investigation Into Unauthorized Use of the Iconic Landmark
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce investigates the unauthorized commercial use of the sign.
The stunt has triggered an investigation as the Hollywood sign sits on restricted public land overseen by the Hollywood Sign Trust, while the image and commercial use rights are owned by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
Although Sweeney's team is understood to have obtained a filming permit, officials are examining whether the climbing and bra display exceeded what was authorized.
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Steve Nissen said: "The production involving Sydney Sweeney and the Hollywood Sign was not authorized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, nor did we have prior knowledge of it.
"The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce owns the intellectual property rights to the image of the Hollywood Sign, so that anyone intending to use and/or access the Hollywood Sign for commercial purposes must obtain a license or permission from the Hollywood Chamber to do so.
"The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce did not grant a license or permission of any kind to the production involving Sydney Sweeney as reported by TMZ, nor did anyone seek a license or permission from the Chamber for that production.
"We are still investigating how and under what authority, if any, the production accessed the site of the Sign."
Legal Consequences and the American Eagle Controversy
Law enforcement officials monitor the Hollywood sign for trespassing and illegal filming.
Law enforcement sources confirmed the site is routinely patrolled by the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments, as well as park rangers, and monitored by surveillance cameras.
The Los Angeles Police Department said no police report has yet been filed, though trespassing at the sign can carry misdemeanor penalties, including fines of up to $1,000 or six months in jail.
Another insider said the controversy reflects a deeper frustration.
They added: "Sydney feels boxed in. She takes heat for being sexy, then gets dismissed as unserious. After the American Eagle blowback, she decided she's done apologizing. If Hollywood wants to clutch its pearls, she's prepared for that."
Sweeney's American Eagle controversy stemmed from her "great jeans" ad campaign in mid-2025, where critics accused the tagline, coupled with Sweeney's blonde/blue-eyed appearance, of alluding to eugenics and white supremacy – while supporters saw it as a clever play on genetics and a sales driver, sparking intense online debate and cultural commentary.
American Eagle defended it as being about jeans, but the campaign highlighted modern culture wars, drawing in political figures and sparking debate about beauty standards, race, and "outrage marketing."
Political Backlash and Reported Hollywood Blacklisting
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Sweeney dismissed the backlash regarding her family's choice of clothing at a private party.
Sources said Sweeney has also been blacklisted by swathes of Hollywood after public records showed she registered as a Republican voter in Florida in June 2024, shortly after purchasing property there.
The registration followed 2023 scrutiny regarding her family's attendance at a birthday party featuring MAGA-style clothing, which she dismissed as a misunderstood "innocent celebration."
