Sydney Sweeney Calls Out Fake Women Empowerment in Hollywood After Producer’s Criticism

Sydney Sweeney is pulling back the curtain on what she perceives as the illusion of women supporting women in Hollywood.

The 27-year-old Euphoria star opened up in Vanity Fair’s 2025 Hollywood Issue, addressing the recent backlash she faced from producer Carol Baum.

“This entire industry, all people say is ‘Women empowering other women,’” Sweeney remarked. “None of it’s happening. All of it is fake and a front for all the other s–t that they say behind everyone’s back.”

Sweeney admitted that seeing successful women tear each other down was particularly disheartening, especially when younger talent like herself is striving to make it in an already tough industry. “Why am I getting attacked?” Sweeney questioned, highlighting how damaging these behaviors can be.

Earlier this year, Baum, known for Father of the Bride, came under fire after publicly criticizing Sweeney during an April screening of her 1988 film Dead Ringers. Baum said she found Sweeney’s 2023 romcom Anyone But You “unwatchable” and even questioned her appeal, telling her USC film students, “She’s not pretty, she can’t act. Why is she so hot?”

Sweeney’s rep didn’t hold back when addressing Baum’s comments, calling it “sad” that a veteran producer would use her platform to attack another woman. “To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms. Baum’s character,” the rep noted.

While Baum later told TMZ she regretted her remarks, the situation has fueled a broader conversation about genuine support versus surface-level empowerment in Hollywood.