Sydney Sweeney attacked for 'disgusting' SYRN lingerie ad posing as childhood star

Lauren Martinez, Ellie Hook Thu, October 22, 2026 at 9:54 AM UTC

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Sydney has been slammed again (Image: syrn/Instagram - Sydney Sweeney for Syrn)

Sydney Sweeney is facing intense criticism after the unveiling of her latest campaign for her SYRN lingerie brand, in which she channels a beloved children's character to showcase the recently launched holiday collection.

The 29-year-old star offered a preview of the new holiday range through a video shared on social media on Wednesday, October 21, but numerous viewers expressed outrage, with some calling it "disgusting" upon discovering she had recreated Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch to advertise the launch.

The campaign and subsequent criticism followed closely on the heels of her provocative "send Nudes" collection, which similarly generated substantial controversy.

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Social media users flooded the comments section voicing their disapproval, with one declaring, "this woman is DISGUSTING," while another concurred, "this is disgusting fr."

"Making a child character sexual isn't it....and yes it is that deep," another commenter expressed angrily, as someone else asked, "Why is she posing as child characters in a lingerie ad?" suggesting this was a misstep for the actress, who has become familiar with controversial advertising campaigns.

Sydney Sweeney is no stranger to backlash (Image: syrn/Instagram)

"Is she actually turning Cindy Lou, the ourest sweetest child into a sex symbol!?!? Fire that creative director and get a brain, Sydney Sweeney," a fourth individual commented.

The promotional video opens with Sweeney relaxing in a chair dressed in a comfortable sweater and brief shorts as she enjoys a bowl of ice cream while watching television, which features footage of her dressed as the iconic character, complete with the distinctive braided hairstyle.

In the clip, Sweeney channels Cindy Lou Who while carrying gifts dressed in a short fur-lined cape and blue plaid mini nightgown, before posing beside a Christmas tree and playfully toying with a string of lights in full plaid pajamas.

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Sydney dazzled in a series of steamy looks (Image: undefined)

The video then transitions to her embodying other characters as she models considerably more provocative pieces from the collection, including a sultry black lace bodysuit, a red bra and panties adorned with an oversized bow, and an icy blue ensemble complete with lace and a thong.

Despite the controversy, some rallied to her defense, noting that while the campaign itself was undeniably risqué, the segments where she portrayed Cindy Lou Who - the beloved character who infamously helps the Grinch get over his disdain for Christmas in the Dr. Seuss tale How the Grinch Stole Christmas - did not actually feature lingerie.

"For once im gonna say the people are overreacting, the cindy lou ones weren't lingerie," one person said, while another added, "Lmao you can tell who didn't watch the clip. She did NOT wear the lingerie while dressed as Cindy. Lmao."

"At least is in pj's," a third wrote, while a fourth went, "What I wanna know is what kind of ice cream that she was eating because that looks delicious."

Sydney dressed up as Cindy Lou Who (Image: syrn/Instagram)

The backlash caps off a turbulent year for Sweeney, who has faced mounting criticism over numerous promotional campaigns, both for her personal brand and for outside collaborators.

She recently drew criticism from female athletes following her appearance in nude advertisements for a sports betting site, in which she strategically positioned sports balls to maintain modesty.

She also encountered substantial backlash in 2025 following a controversial American Eagle Jeans ad, where critics claimed she was endorsing eugenics through wordplay involving "genes" and "jeans."

The ads were eventually pulled, but also led to the actress being outed politically as a registered Republican, and saw her have several film releases in a row that were determined to be flops.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”