Sydney Sweeney "can't act" and "isn't pretty" says top Hollywood producer

Hollywood producer Carol Baum has claimed Sydney Sweeney "isn't pretty" and "can't act".

Speaking with New York Times film critic Janet Maslinfollowing a screening of her 1988 film Dead Ringers starring Jeremy Irons, Baum didn't have nice things to say about the 26-year-old actor who has starred in shows such as Euphoria, The White Lotus and recent films Anyone But You and Immaculate.

While Baum - who has produced 34 films such as Father of the Bride (1991), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), and Fly Away Home (1996) - described Sweeney as "an actress who everybody loves now", she admitted she doesn't get the hype.

"I don't get Sydney Sweeney. I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeney's movie because I wanted to watch it," she said referring to Sweeney's role in the rom-com Anyone But You.

Baum wanted to know more about the actor that "everyone is talking about" but described Anyone But You as "unwatchable".

Film producer Carol Baum (right) recently criticised actor Sydney Sweeney (left)Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images and Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for L’Oreal Paris

She recalls asking students in her producing class at the USC School of Cinematic Arts for their thoughts on Sweeney.

"I said to my class, 'Explain this girl to me. She's not pretty, she can't act. Why is she so hot?'

"Nobody had an answer."

Then the producer was asked if she would cast Sweeney in one of her projects if it meant the film could go ahead.

"I said, 'well that's a really good question...that's a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made.'"

Sweeney rose to prominence with her role as Cassie Howard in the HBO drama Euphoria and was nominated for an Emmy in that role in 2022.

In the same year, Sweeney also received an Emmy nomination for her role as Olivia Mossbacher in the HBO comedy-drama The White Lotus.

While Anyone But You received mixed reviews from critics, it ended up being a box office hit, earning $200m worldwide and, according to Variety, the film is the highest-grossing R-rated romantic comedy since 2016’s Bridget Jones’s Baby.

In her latest project, Sweeney both starred and co-produced in the horror film Immaculate which has received positive reviews since its release on March 22.

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