Sydney Sweeney sheds 200,000 followers over Novig campaign By Luís Henrique Costa
2 min read
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American actress Sydney Sweeney lost 200,000 followers on Instagram on September 14, 2026, following the release of an advertising campaign for sports prediction and betting application Novig. The marketing spot featured the performer posing naked with her body covered only by pieces of athletic equipment. Audiences reacted swiftly to the promotional material across the platform.
Sweeney is 29 years old.
Olympic athletes criticize sexualized sports imagery in commercial
Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus openly condemned the promotional spot on social media. ‘I can’t even express how angry I was when I saw this,’ wrote the Olympic champion, calling the campaign a slap in the face to women who dedicate their lives to athletics and asking why society continues to sexualize female athletes. Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns stated that she hated the video clip, while professional boxer Skye Nicolson labeled the footage an outrage.
The company advertisement reached 1.1 million likes on the actress’s profile despite the sudden drop in followers. Sweeney avoided written commentary and instead shared archival magazine covers featuring athletes who posed in similar artistic layouts:
- Caroline Wozniak and Sue Bird
- Megan Rapinoe and Serena Williams
- Ronda Rousey, Rob Gronkowski, and Myles Garrett
Past American Eagle denim campaign prompted political reactions
The Euphoria and The Housemaid actress faced scrutiny during a past commercial for clothing brand American Eagle. That campaign featured a pun connecting denim jeans with human genes, generating accusations of sexism and racism. Donald Trump subsequently commended Sweeney in public remarks after that commercial aired.
