Why Starring in ‘Madame Web’ Was a Good Thing for Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Sweeney may have initially been nervous working on Madame Web because of Dakota Jonson. But after the film came out, that might’ve been the least of her worries. Madame Web flopped both critically and commercially at the box office and could’ve left a stain on Sweeney’s filmography. However, the feature was a blessing in disguise for the actor in more ways than one.
What Sydney Sweeney enjoyed about ‘Madame Web’
Madame Web perhaps wasn’t the finest moment in Sweeney’s career. The superhero movie received nearly unanimous backlash from fans and critics alike. Despite having a large part in Dakota Johnson’s superhero adaptation, however, Sydney didn’t take the criticism to heart.
“The movie is such a large movie with so many people involved,” she said in an interview with GQ. “I was just hired as an actor and happy to bring to life a character that my little cousins are excited about. There’s no outcome I can control on a film like that, especially when I’m not a producer. You sign up for whatever happens and you take the ride.”
Additionally, Sweeney got a few positives out of doing the tarnished film that made it worth her time. Madame Web brought her closer to Sony, the studio that developed the project. This made it easier for Sweeney to make and produce her rom-com Anyone But You, which birthed her chemistry with Glenn Powell.
“To me, that film was a building block, it’s what allowed me to build a relationship with Sony. Without doing Madame Web I wouldn’t have a relationship with the decision-makers over there,” she said. “Everything in my career I do not just for that story, but strategic business decisions. Because I did that, I was able to sell Anyone But You. I was able to get Barbarella.”
Apart from Madame Web’s long-term value for her career, Sweeney also had a good time on set. It helped that the Euphoria alum was living out her dream of starring in a superhero project.
“I can’t wait to be able to be next to the girls that I filmed with – Dakota and Isabela, and Celeste. We had so much fun together. And I’m really excited that it’s just gonna be a powerhouse of bada** females for the world to see,” she said in an interview with Total Film.
“Superheroes have been my entire life!” she added. “Those [films] are all my parents ever wanted to go see. I think I’ve seen The Avengers probably 20, 30-plus times. My family, they love [them]… I could not have made them happier choosing to do that project [Madame Web].”
Sydney Sweeney learned a lot from ‘Madame Web’ debacle
Sweeney learned through trial and error that winning a role through an audition is usually only half the battle. Whatever role the actor’s chosen for could sometimes make or break their careers depending on the film’s quality and their performance. Although Sweeney has considerable control over her acting in movies, she has little control over how well her movies would be received unless she’s a producer. Because of this, she had to give up a considerable amount of control over certain projects. This was why she cringed at some of her old movies.
“As an actor, you audition for everything, and you just cross your fingers and hope and work hard to get in the room,” Sweeney said in an interview with Who What Wear. “Was I proud of all of them [or] super excited about all the characters? No. Did I wish I could make changes and be more a part of the process and be more assertive? Yes. But I was in no position to be able to do so.”
It’s easy to wonder if Sweeney was thinking about Madame Web when she made those comments. However, the film’s failure might have only further proven how valuable it is to have control over her projects. After Madame Web, Sweeney might continue taking a more hands-on approach with her work.
