The 27-year-old actress’s newest challenge, “Americana,” opened in theaters this weekend, however early numbers counsel the movie is flopping arduous.
The indie crime drama, which additionally stars Halsey and Paul Walter Hauser, premiered at South by Southwest again in 2023 however solely hit U.S. theaters nationwide on Friday. Written and directed by Tony Tost, “Americana” facilities on a gaggle of outsiders in a small South Dakota city whose lives violently collide after a uncommon Lakota Ghost Shirt surfaces on the black market.
Sydney Sweeney performs Penny Jo, a wannabe nation singer caught within the chaos.
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Sydney Sweeney’s New Film ‘Americana’ Tanks At Field Workplace
Regardless of its buzzy competition premiere, the movie hasn’t managed to attach with mainstream audiences.
In response to The Hollywood Reporter, “Americana” is projected to earn simply $850,000 from 1,100 theaters in its opening weekend, touchdown it at a disappointing sixteenth place on the field workplace. As of Saturday, the film hadn’t even cracked the highest 20 on monitoring websites Field Workplace Mojo or The Numbers.
Critics have additionally been blended, with the film presently holding a 68% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Set towards the backdrop of rural South Dakota, “Americana” follows a rogues’ gallery of characters.
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Among the many ensemble are colorfully drawn figures like “Lefty” Ledbetter, performed by Paul Walter Hauser, aspiring singer Mandy Starr, portrayed by Halsey, Dillon MacIntosh (Eric Dane), the enigmatic Ghost Eye (Zahn McClarnon), and Roy Lee Dean (Simon Rex). Every brings their very own agenda to the high-stakes hunt, making a gritty collision of greed, desperation, and survival.
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Sweeney’s ‘Nice Denims/Genes’ Advert Sparks Political Firestorm
The underwhelming debut comes on the heels of Sweeney’s American Eagle controversy earlier this 12 months.
The actress starred in a denim marketing campaign that featured the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Nice Denims/Genes,” a play on phrases that some critics slammed as “Nazi propaganda.” Whereas the model defended the marketing campaign as cheeky wordplay, the backlash positioned Sweeney on the middle of an uncomfortable cultural debate that continues to comply with her.
Response to the advert was swift, and it rapidly grew to become clear that Sweeney’s politics may form how she’s acquired in Hollywood. Having registered as a Republican in Florida previous to the 2024 Presidential election, the actress all of the sudden discovered herself on the middle of a heated cultural debate.
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Donald Trump Praises Sweeney’s American Eagle Advert
“Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST advert on the market,” he wrote, earlier than encouraging her to “go get ’em.” Trump later re-posted the message after initially misspelling her first identify as “Sidney,” doubling down by including, “Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you need to be.”
Nonetheless, the actress has been doing her half to hype the challenge.
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Sydney Sweeney Hypes ‘Americana’ Position On Instagram As Advert Backlash Lingers
Simply days earlier than “Americana” hit theaters, Sweeney tried to drum up pleasure on Instagram, sharing a heartfelt put up together with her followers.
“A couple of years in the past, I filmed this little film with some pals, and now you get to satisfy Penny Jo,” she wrote, referring to her character within the movie.
However as a substitute of rallying assist, the feedback part rapidly stuffed with backlash.
Many customers bypassed the film solely to convey up the lingering controversy over her American Eagle marketing campaign and her political ties. “Good, gained’t be watching it,” one particular person wrote.
One other added, “So that you voted for Trump? The person within the Epstein information?”
Others had been much more blunt, posting remarks like, “I misplaced you at registered Republican” and “Bruh no person watching this.”
Sydney Sweeney’s Star Energy Faces Subsequent Take a look at With ‘Christy’ And ‘The Housemaid’
With “Americana” struggling to realize traction, all eyes at the moment are on how Sweeney’s upcoming initiatives will fare.
“Christy,” the place she takes on the difficult function of legendary boxer Christy Martin, may provide a crucial reset if it connects on the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition. However with no distributor but in place, the movie’s future hinges on whether or not consumers imagine audiences will rally behind Sweeney in such a gritty, transformative function.
Then comes “The Housemaid,” a psychological thriller set for a December 25 launch, which is able to put Sweeney’s field workplace pull to the take a look at as soon as once more.
