Unstoppable Sydney
Sydney Sweeney hasn’t wasted a second in her climb to the top
A staff writer speaks with the Spokane actress about her fame
She’s an actress who is refreshingly frank about the industry, ready to take a knock if it means learning something and as keen to get behind the camera as she is to perform in front of it.
All this has made Sydney Sweeney one of the most dynamic names in Hollywood today.
She says: “I’d love to say there was a big plan but there really wasn’t. I know I’ve got to where I am because of a lot of hard work but so many actors will tell you the same. And sometimes, the rewards are great and at other times not so much. Ultimately, there’s a lot of luck involved and I’m grateful to have found myself in the right place at the right time.”
This much is true – whether it’s turning heads as the vulnerable but volatile Cassie Howard in HBO’s Euphoria or matching Julianne Moore beat for beat in the upcoming psychological thriller Echo Valley, Sweeney never shies away from emotional intensity.
“That 2025 role in Echo Valley was honestly one of the most emotional characters I’ve played. The script gutted me and I was literally crying on a flight while reading it. That’s when you know you’ve found something worth doing,” Sydney recalls.
Produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Mare of Easttown’s Michael Pearce, the film saw Sweeney play Claire – a haunted young woman who returns to her estranged mother’s farmhouse over a single stormy 24 hour period.
Sweeney says: “It was the first time I really had to trust silence, and simply exist in the moment and not act it out – that kind of stillness is terrifying in a good way.”
Though it’s a long way from the glittery trauma of Euphoria, the actress has long proven she’s not a one-trick pony. The Handmaid’s Tale, The White Lotus, The Voyeurs and Reality have all showcased her ability to shift gears from era to era and style to style.
She has also surprised audiences in indie western Americana, which is set in modern-day California, and perhaps deserved more out of Madame Web – a Marvel adjacent foray that fizzled with critics and fans alike.
Yet, Sweeney remains philosophical and notes: “Of course, when something doesn’t work out it stings – because you want people to love everything you put out there. But this industry is about learning and I take so much from every experience, dust myself off and move forward.”
Such a resilient attitude has become something of a calling card for her.
Sydney is equally pragmatic off-screen. Her production company Fifty-Fifty Films is a bold statement of intent. “I got tired of waiting around for the roles I wanted and producing lets me create them,” she asserts.
Her producing debut was romantic comedy Anyone But You in which she stars opposite Glen Powell. It earned her extensive acclaim. And Immaculate (2024), The Housemaid (2025) and this year’s release of Christy also saw her step into a position of authority.
She says that “producing pushes me in a different direction. It offers control but also provides responsibility. I love having that creative stake.”
Comparisons have been drawn between Sweeney and fellow powerhouse Margot Robbie – another actress-producer hybrid who is redefining what it means to lead in Hollywood. Sydney reveals: “I admire Margot hugely. She’s someone who has built a legacy on her own terms. And that’s what I too am trying to do.”
When asked what type of roles she’s yet to explore, Sweeney brightens. “I’d love to do more period pieces. There’s something about stepping into another time that really gets my imagination going. However, I’m also drawn to psychological thrillers due to the complexity of human nature,” she states.
For someone who seems to have come from nowhere, Sydney’s roots are humble and grounding. Raised in Spokane in Washington, and having moved to rural Idaho later, she once lived in a house that had sheltered five generations of her family.
She recalls: “Every corner had a story, and you really grow up with a sense of history and connection.”
Despite her global fame however, the star values her privacy. Her relationship with fiancé Jonathan Davino, a restaurateur from Chicago, is kept largely under wraps. “I made a conscious decision not to date within the industry because it keeps me grounded,” she explains.
The two have been together for seven years, and Sydney says: “Love for me is about having someone who’s your best friend – someone you can laugh with every single day. That’s what it is.”
Away from film sets and red carpets, she harbours some unlikely passions. Her love of motorsports and mechanics might come as a surprise to fans more used to seeing Sweeney in vintage Versace.
She discloses; “I rebuilt a 1969 Ford Bronco during the pandemic. My grandpa used to race stock cars and I guess I inherited the bug.”