Sydney Sweeney stars in Dolly Parton-inspired role after American Eagle drama

Sydney Sweeney is channeling Dolly Parton in her new Western heist movie “Americana,” set to be released on the heels of the actress’s American Eagle “Good Jeans” ad. 

In the film, debuting in theaters Aug. 15, Sweeney, 27, stars as Penny Jo Poplin, a small-town diner waitress who is obsessed with the country icon and dreams of following in her footsteps. 

“Dolly is definitely her biggest aspirational role model,” Sweeney said of her character during a June interview with Entertainment Weekly.

She continued, “Dolly is almost like a godlike figure to Penny Jo, and I really wanted to make sure that we had the aspirations of being Dolly, but then, she doesn’t have the resources.”

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“It’s trying to find that in-between place of who Penny is and what she has,” Sweeney added. “But then also who she wants to be. Penny Jo dreams of being able to have Dolly’s outlook on life because her world feels so gray, dark, and trapped. [Dolly has] this beautiful big personality and energy that makes everything have color again, and that’s what she wants.”

In “Americana,” Penny Jo, who is also an aspiring country music singer-songwriter, joins forces with lovelorn military veteran and ranch-hand Lefty Ledbetter (Paul Walter Hauser) to procure a rare Native American artifact — a Lakota Ghost Shirt — after it lands on the black market in their South Dakota town. 

However, Penny Jo and Lefty’s pursuit of the valuable artifact “puts them in the crosshairs of a ruthless criminal working for a Western antiquities dealer, and soon, others, including the leader of an Indigenous group and a woman fleeing a mysterious past, join the battle for the Ghost Shirt,” according to a plot synopsis for the movie. 

“She finally sees something that can be her ticket to Nashville,” Sweeney told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s her ticket to be able to go and chase her dreams. And she’s past the point of waiting for it to happen.”

“Americana” marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Tony Tost, who also wrote the screenplay. The movie also stars pop singer Halsey, Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon and Simon Rex. 

Though “Americana” originally premiered at the 2023 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, the movie’s worldwide release date comes as drama continues to swirl over Sweeney’s July American Eagle ad campaign.

However, PR expert Eric Schiffer shared his view that Sweeney’s character will be a big draw for audiences, and the timing of the release will prove to be serendipitous for the production. 

“She plays Penny Jo, a waitress who worships Dolly; that disarming sweetness offsets the AE edge and broadens demo reach,” the Reputation Management Consultants CEO told Fox News Digital. 

He continued, “Country-curious teens and red-state moms will test-drive the movie; coastal critics bring pitiless scrutiny — perfect storm for sales.”

Last month, the clothing retailer debuted their ad campaign titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” which received a mixed response on social media. 

Some dubbed the campaign as “tone-deaf” due to the alleged racial undertones, others have praised Sweeney for killing “woke” advertising.  

In a promo video posted to the brand’s Instagram, Sweeney was seen walking toward an AE billboard featuring her and the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes.” Sweeney crossed out “Genes” and replaced it with “Jeans” before walking away. 

In a second ad, Sweeney was seen laying down and fastening her jeans while saying, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color.” The camera then panned up to her blue eyes. “My jeans are blue.”

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The ad’s detractors have suggested that it has shades of “eugenics” and “White supremacy.” According to Salon, the term “great genes” was historically used to “celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness.”

American Eagle released a statement on its social media on Aug. 1, which read, “’Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. 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.”

Sweeney has yet to publicly comment on the ad or its reception. 

While speaking with Fox News Digital, Schiffer explained how controversy could potentially turbocharge the actress’s career along with her net worth. 

“The AE firestorm shoved Sweeney into toxic culture-war crosshairs — exactly where attention monetizes fastest,” he said. “Backlash may spook a few ‘safe’ brands, but risk-tolerant studios will ruthlessly overpay for her heat. 

“American Eagle’s denim blitz could jam an outrage cocktail of $5 million more in Sweeney’s wallet before Labor Day,” Schiffer added. “The viral jeans spot is a ruthless napalm-grade cash cannon — every click fires fresh royalty checks at her $40 million pile. Critics rant, but controversy drives denim sales — she’s riding a volatile tornado straight to the bank.”

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Schiffer also explained that the backlash the actress has received could lead to an influx of career opportunities for her. 

“Outrage addicts labeled the ad ‘eugenics’ but Hollywood execs smell radioactive buzz and cast her faster,” he said. “Hollywood forgives denim puns; it rewards controversial cash.”

Schiffer continued, “She proved she can take heat and directors love an actress with fierce armor. Her blend of bombshell and backlash is near lethal catnip for producers. Hollywood loves a polarizing star with a merciless marketing punch that sells.”

However, PR expert Steve Honig voiced his opinion that the backlash was unlikely to affect Sweeney’s career. 

“Regardless of which side you are on, the ads have undeniably gotten the actress, and the company, more attention and publicity than they have ever had. Judging by the public’s split opinion, I don’t think this will have much, if any, impact on Sweeney’s career or upcoming projects,” he said. “She is a popular, up-and-coming talent with a bright future ahead of her.” 

Honig went on to cite other ad campaigns that saw great success by courting controversy. 

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“Historically, ads for jeans have been provocative,” he noted. “Look back to Calvin Klein’s advertising campaign in the early 1980s featuring Brooke Shields; there was a lot of criticism about how a 15-year-old girl was being portrayed. The ads turned out to have a positive result for both Klein and Shields, and in many ways put the actress/model on the map.”

Honig continued, “As far as the Sweeney ads being too sexual or aimed at ‘male gazing,’ I would point to the highly successful Pepsi ad campaign with Cindy Crawford, which was recently rebooted. Gloria Vanderbilt’s advertising campaign was all about her name being on a woman’s backside.” 

“The bottom line here is that American Eagle decided to push the envelope in much the same way Klein and Vanderbilt did,” he added. “Like it or not, the campaign is sparking discussion and getting a lot of notice, which is likely what they set out to do.”

In addition to “Americana,” Sweeney also has several other projects in the works. The actress is set to return for the third season of the hit HBO series “Euphoria,” which is aiming for a 2026 release, according to Deadline. 

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Sweeney is also starring as real-life former professional boxer Christy Martin in the upcoming biographical sports drama “Christy.” The Washington native produced the film through her company, Fifty-Fifty Films, along with several other production companies, including Anonymous Content, Yoki, Inc., Votiv and Black Bear Pictures. 

The actress will next be seen starring alongside Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, and Michele Morrone in Paul Feig’s upcoming film “The Housemaid,” which is based on Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel. “The Housemaid” will be released in theaters on Dec. 25. 

Fox News Digital’s Janelle Ash contributed to this report.