Halsey Defends Sydney Sweeney Film Americana After 'Pretty Dumb Advertising Take' Over Jeans

Halsey is the latest from the film's team to jump out in its defense in the wake of the ongoing controversy around Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad campaign that talked all about her great jeans -- and was interpreted by some to be a reference to her great "genes," which did not go over well.

Jumping on her Instagram Stories late last week, per E! News, Halsey wrote, "You should go see this movie because Tony Tost made an exceptional film, in honor of a genre he knows intimately. Because his work and his vision are greater than the 24 hr gossip tabloid denim bulls--t."

"He's an incredible artist who made a great film with a group of hardworking, talented people,” the singer and actress continued. “If you love cinema, than you should know that cinema comes first. This is cinema."

She went on to write indirectly, but seemingly more directly, about the Sweeney jeans controversy, adding, "I do agree that our words are important in this climate. I don't, however, think that it's fair 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."

"If it's not clear who the actual people I'm standing up for are I'm sorry look closer," she concluded her message."

Halsey also took to X in a since-deleted post, per MSN, and defended her defense, writing, "I’m not upset the film’s release is being hurt by the timing. I am upset that a bunch of non-celebrity people involved in this film are being bullied by the media."

She went on to write, "I have said everything I am permitted to say about my feelings on the ad. And if you’re a fan of mine and think I ‘support eugenics’ then idk what to say idk why you’re a fan then tbh…"

Director Tost also took to social media in defense of his project, sharing his thoughts after its disappointing debut in more than 1,100 theaters, per The Hollywood Reporter. "One of the great things about movies is that they outlive the zeitgeist into which they were released," he wrote on X, seemingly referring to the controversy.

"As someone whose first film sorta got gobbled up by the zeitgeist, I’ll be curious to see how it’ll stand up after this moment is over," he continued, in reference to his directorial debut, Americana. "Hopefully fairly well!"

He also emphasized that this was always intended to be a "'hidden gem' type movie (as oppossed to a blockbuster, or auteur masterpiece)." The direction explained that he'd initially envisioned himself as a director who made a career from projects like these, but now, "One picture in — I don’t know if a minor gem career is feasible these days."

"I think I’ve got to swing either bigger or smaller," he continued. "Excited for people to find Americana in the days/weeks/months/years to come. But also trying to internalize the many lessons learned from swing #1."

The "zeitgeist" into which the film dropped and underperformed was the wake of Sweeney's American Eagle advertisement that saw the Euphoria star say, "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue."

Critics of the gene thought that having a blonde-haired, blue-eyed person make this statement was reminiscent of the eugenics programs of 1940s Nazi Germany -- while many others thought this take was a bit of an overreaction. It became a dominant media topic, and political hot-button issue.

The controversy generated so much attention that American Eagle also jumped in to defend its promotion. "‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans’ is and always was about the jeans," the company wrote in a statement to its Instagram on August 1. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."

Americana stars Sweeney, Halsey, Paul Walter Hauser, Simon Rex, Zahn McClarnon and Eric Dane. With generally positive critical reviews, the crime thriller is in theaters now.