Emmy-nominated actress Sydney Sweeney has responded to the backlash she accrued after posting pictures from her mother’s 60th birthday party over the weekend.
Sweeney shared photos on Instagram of the Western-themed “surprise hoedown” celebration in Idaho, featuring herself and family members wearing cowboy boots and cowboy hats, while riding a mechanical bull, line dancing, and posing in front of a themed birthday cake. The last photo in her carousel, however, revealed a relative sporting a “Blue Lives Matter” T-shirt, leading fans to speculate what Sweeney and her family’s political affiliations are.
Fans also lit up social media after Sweeney’s brother Trent posted photos of attendees wearing imitation MAGA hats, reading “Make Sixty Great Again.”
Twitter users began criticizing Sweeney for potentially embracing right-wing beliefs and created memes on the subject (though, there were some on the lighter side referencing Euphoria‘s “Oklahoma!” joke).
The star addressed fans on Twitter. “You guys this is wild,” the 24-year-old wrote. “An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone ♥️ and Happy Birthday Mom!”
You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone ♥️ and Happy Birthday Mom!
— Sydney Sweeney (@sydney_sweeney) August 27, 2022
Sweeney was raised in a small town near Spokane, right on the Washington-Idaho border. While she’s kept her political party affiliation under wraps, The White Lotus actress expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Sweeney tweeted a guide detailing ways to help. “We need to do better,” she wrote. “The hate in this world needs to end. #BlackLivesMatter.”
