Sydney Sweeney Wasn’t Worried About Being Typecast as a ‘Blonde Bombshell’ Just 3 Years Ago
Syndey Sweeney has seen her fair share of media attention in the last few years. Her roles in both Euphoria and The White Lotus have helped her to become a bonafide celebrity. Playing Cassie and Olivia helped Sweeney earn critical acclaim. In fact, she scored an Emmy nomination for each role. The parts have also catapulted the actor into staggering fame, with the media referring to her as the latest “it girl” and “blonde bombshell.”
Of course, there have been plenty of actors who have been given the “blonde bombshell” title prior to Sweeney. And while some of them have taken strategic steps to circumvent being typecast, others haven’t been so successful at overcoming the archetype. Considering Sweeney seems to have leaned into this archetype with roles in projects like The Voyeurs and the upcoming Barbarella, some people are wondering what direction she’ll go.
Sydney Sweeney is very strategic about which movies and TV shows she chooses to take on
However, those who have been following Sweeney for a while will note that she’s always been very strategic about her career. When considering a new role, one of her main considerations is whether or not the character is similar to the one she’s played before. So while one could argue that both Cassie and Barbarella are both “blonde bombshells”, they represent two different types of women for Sweeney.
Sweeney has been wary of being typecast since the beginning of her career. While speaking with Glamour UK in 2018, The Handmaid’s Tale alum expressed some of the early fears she had as an actor. However, as she continued to stack her resume, those fears began to dissipate.
The actor was worried about how she’d be typecast early in her career
“I would always worry that I was only going to play the girl next door or the cute girlfriend,” Sweeney shared. “But I’ve been really lucky that all my roles have been very intense and completely different kinds of characters. I’ve been able to work on shows with amazing role models, amazing actors, incredible female filmmakers. It’s been really cool to see the industry change and be part of that change.”
Sweeney wasn’t worried about being pigeonholed as a blonde bombshell a few years back
But in a 2019 interview with Elite Daily, Sweeney’s sentiments about being typecast seemed to be a bit different. When she was asked about whether she was concerned about being typecast as a “blonde bombshell”, she gave an interesting response. “I mean, if I can play a blonde bombshell that would be great.”
Sweeney pushes back on being viewed as a sex symbol
Sweeney has certainly played a number of blonde bombshells since 2019. And she’s got a few more roles lined up that seemingly fit the outdated trope. However, it seems that Sweeney’s sentiments about being typecast have changed yet again. She seems to struggle with the media labeling her as a “bombshell” or a “sexpot” simply because she chooses to do nude scenes.
“People forget that I’m playing a character, they think, ‘Oh, she gets naked onscreen, she’s a sex symbol,’ Sweeney explained to The Hollywood Reporter. “And I can’t get past that. I have no problems with those scenes, and I won’t stop doing them, but I wish there was an easier way to have an open conversation about what we’re assuming about actors in the industry.”
How the producer is taking agency over her career
For her part, Sweeney continues to fight against being pigeonholed. She continues to take on roles in various genres, starring in everything from superhero movies to stories based on real-life women. Furthermore, she has taken even more agency over her career by founding her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films. The goal of Sweeney’s company is to bring female-led stories to life. So while Sweeney may still be worried about being typecast, she’s certainly doing something to combat it.
