A new controversy is sweeping through Hollywood, and singer and actress Halsey is stepping up to defend her art and her colleague. In a powerful statement on social media, Halsey publicly supported her new crime thriller, Americana, and her co-star Sydney Sweeney, in the wake of an American Eagle ad campaign that sparked a massive online debate. Her message is a clear and direct response to calls for boycotts of the film tied to Sweeney’s involvement, highlighting the crucial difference between an actor's personal brand and their work on a film.
"You should go see this movie," Halsey wrote on her Instagram Story, sharing a poster for the film. Her defense went beyond a simple endorsement; it was a passionate plea to separate the art from the artist's perceived missteps. She argued that director Tony Tost "made an exceptional film" and that his "work and his vision are greater than the 24 hr gossip tabloid denim bulls—t." Her remarks are a direct jab at the controversy surrounding Sweeney's American Eagle ad, which critics found tone-deaf and likened to racist and eugenicist propaganda.
The ad campaign, which launched in late July, featured Sweeney using the phrases "great jeans" and "great genes" interchangeably. The messaging, combined with the ad's emphasis on Sweeney's blue eyes and blonde hair, led to a swift and brutal backlash online. Halsey, however, believes it's unfair to punish the entire film and its hardworking cast and crew for an unrelated advertising misstep.
In a follow-up post, Halsey acknowledged that "our words are important in this climate" but stressed that it's unfair for the "news cycle to predatorily rip a hardworking director and his hardworking crew for this film that is completely separate-from and unrelated-to a (pretty dumb) advertising take." Her stance is a firm defense of the integrity of the filmmaking process, arguing that the film itself should be judged on its own merit, not on the controversies of its stars.
Americana, which follows a group of characters in pursuit of a rare Native American artifact, has had a disappointing box office performance since its August 15 launch. The film's poor commercial reception has fueled the ongoing online debate, but Halsey and director Tony Tost believe the film will outlive the controversy. In a post on X, Tost expressed his belief that "one of the great things about movies is that they outlive the zeitgeist into which they were released."
Halsey’s defense of Americana is a crucial reminder that a star's brand is often separate from the art they create. It is a call to a more thoughtful and nuanced consumption of media, urging audiences to look beyond the headlines and appreciate the work of the many talented people who contribute to a film.
