Sydney Sweeney has once again become the center of political discussion after her Euphoria character, Cassie Howard, appeared to reveal her political leanings in the latest episode of the HBO series.
The 28-year-old actress was previously labelled “MAGA Barbie” after reports claimed she was a registered Republican. The debate intensified after her American Eagle denim campaign, which used the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes,” was criticized by some left-wing commentators as promoting far-right messaging. Sweeney has maintained that she does not want politics to define her public image.
In Euphoria’s episode 5, titled This Little Piggy, Cassie’s storyline follows her growing success on OnlyFans. As her online career expands, she begins appearing on podcasts discussing men and modern society.
She says, “I just feel like American men have been treated like second-class citizens.” When a podcast host asks, “Why is it that women hate men these days?” Cassie replies: “Well, in the past, men used to be hunters and gatherers and protectors, but now they’re being forced to walk around on their tippy toes.
“I mean, it’s not natural. Men should be free. They should be able to speak their mind and voice their desires.” The scene drew even more attention when another host suggested, “Well, you sound like a Democrat.” Cassie giggles and responds: “I’m not r*tarded.”
After the episode aired, several viewers on X linked Cassie’s comments to the ongoing debate around Sweeney’s own politics. Some users joked that the actress had been “method acting,” while others suggested the show had leaned into the public conversation surrounding her image.
Sweeney addressed the “MAGA Barbie” label earlier this year, telling Fox News, “I’ve never been here to talk about politics. I’ve always been here to make art, so this is just not a conversation I want to be at the forefront of.”
Asked why she does not directly correct the record if she believes she is being misrepresented, she said: “I haven’t figured it out. “I’m not a hateful person. If I say: “That’s not true,” they’ll come at me like: “You’re just saying that to look better.”
“There’s no winning. There’s never any winning.” She added: “I just have to continue being who I am, because I know who I am. I can’t make everyone love me. I know what I stand for.”
The episode has also sparked criticism from real-life OnlyFans creators, who said Cassie’s storyline exaggerates and misrepresents their industry. Sydney Leathers told Variety: “There’s just a lot that’s ridiculous and cartoonish about it.”
Sweeney, however, described Cassie’s arc as deliberately extreme, telling Entertainment Tonight: “I mean, Cassie’s a crazy character.” “She will do anything and at all costs to be famous this season, and she makes a lot of very wild and interesting choices,” she added.