Sydney Sweeney is once again at the center of online controversy — and this time, it all started with a red dress.
During her December 1 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the actress wore a burgundy long-sleeved minidress paired with red pumps. What should have been a simple promotional stop for Euphoria season 3 and her upcoming film The Housemaid quickly turned into a political firestorm.
Within minutes of the episode airing, viewers flocked to X accusing Sydney of “dressing like a Fox News host,” claiming her color choice was a deliberate political signal. Some even said she was “leaning into MAGA aesthetics,” citing her voter registration — which revealed she has been a registered Republican since June 2024 — despite her never publicly confirming her political views.
The backlash escalated when users linked her look to past controversies, including the 2022 “hoedown scandal,” where guests at her mother’s birthday party wore hats resembling MAGA merchandise and a guest appeared in a “Blue Lives Matter” shirt. Though Sydney insisted it was just an innocent celebration, the incident continues to follow her.
This new wave of criticism comes on the heels of another claim — that a Hollywood co-star recently refused to stand next to her due to “political tensions,” adding fuel to an already growing narrative that Sydney is becoming unintentionally politicized.
Still, reactions weren’t universally negative. Many viewers defended her:
“She’s beautiful, classy, and people are reaching.”
“Not everything is political. Let her wear red.”
“My god, she’s stunning.”
Others argued the scrutiny reflects a double standard: male actors wear red suits without consequence, yet a woman in a red dress becomes a political statement.
Meanwhile, Sydney remained focused on what she came to promote. She teased a “season of self-discovery” for Cassie in Euphoria, played a game with Fallon, and shared a sweet Thanksgiving story where she and her friends dressed in Shrek costumes for “Shreksgiving.”
In the end, a single outfit said more to the internet than Sydney herself ever intended — highlighting how, in today’s culture, even silence can be interpreted as a political stance.
