Sydney Sweeney sparks backlash after scaling Hollywood sign for after-dark photo shoot

27 Jan 2026 By foxnews

It seems Sydney Sweeney will do almost anything to promote her upcoming lingerie line.

In a video obtained by TMZ, the "Euphoria" actress appeared to climb the iconic Hollywood sign in the dead of night in an effort to share a message ahead of the upcoming launch.

Sweeney - wearing black cargo pants, a black hoodie and a black hat - hung a clothesline of bras over the sign all while being filmed.

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According to TMZ, Sweeney and her team received a permit from FilmLA to shoot near the Hollywood sign. However, they did not have permission to climb or touch the sign.

In an email sent to TMZ, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce - which owns the intellectual property rights to use the image of the Hollywood sign - confirmed that Sweeney did not have clearance to go that far.

"There was no permission granted to do this, as is required," the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce told the outlet.

According to the outlet, Sweeney could be at risk of being charged with criminal trespassing and/or vandalism.

Representatives for Sweeney and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The LAPD told Fox News Digital that there is currently no investigation. "No crime was committed," the representative stated.

Social media users were quick to react to Sweeney's stunt.

"Guess she didn't learn how to advertise after that jean commercial," one user wrote on X.

"Doesn't climbing the sign carry like… actual jail time?" another user asked. "Hope those bras were worth the trespassing charge."

"Bold move, but she's playing the game right," another added.

The Emmy-nominated actress has been working on a lingerie line that has received backing from Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez, a source familiar with the matter told Us Weekly last year.

Sweeney was invited to the couple's June wedding in Venice, Italy.

"This has been a huge project for her and something she's been working on for the last year," the source said.

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Her brand was also backed by Ben Schwerin, a partner at private equity firm Coatue.

The private equity firm recently launched a fund focused on investing in high-growth public and private tech companies. The family offices of Bezos and PC company founder Michael Dell have committed to provide $1 billion of the initial capital for the fund, according to The Wall Street Journal.

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A pitch deck seen by the Journal indicated the fund aims to invest between 20% to 50% of its assets in private investments with the rest earmarked for public stocks.

The publicity stunt comes months after Sweeney faced backlash for her American Eagle campaign, "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans."

The playful pun instantly sparked controversy online, with some critics arguing the "jeans" and "genes" wordplay carried racially charged implications.

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"I was honestly surprised by the reaction," she told People last month. "I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don't support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren't true."

"Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always trying to bring people together. I'm against hate and divisiveness," she explained.

"In the past, my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press, but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us."