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Sydney Sweeney's Tragic Real-Life Story The List
Sydney Sweeney is one of Hollywood's hottest young stars, but her rise to A-lister status hasn't come without difficult circumstances, some of them tragic.
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By Jan. 18, 2025 2:15 pm EST
Sydney Sweeney appears to have it all. The blue-eyed beauty made her big debut on the small screen, stealing scenes on shows like "The Handmaid's Tale" and "The White Lotus" and starring as Cassie Howard in "Euphoria." Sweeney is a bona fide movie star as well, appearing in the Oscar-winning "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood" and starring opposite Glen Powell in "Anyone But You." In 2022, Sweeney became engaged to businessman Jonathan Davino. She has also expressed the desire to have a big family. "I think about having four kids," she shared with Glamour. "I dream of teaching them how to ski when they're little and having them follow me around on adventures."
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But Sweeney's own childhood was not as idyllic. Her family experienced financial troubles, and she was bullied by her classmates for everything from her body to her acting aspirations. Sweeney was always determined to make her goals a reality, but sometimes reality was extremely difficult for the fledgling actor. Sydney Sweeney finally achieved fame, but it came at a high cost. And it hasn't been all it's cracked up to be. From family issues to facing rejection to finding out just how mean people can be on social media, the actor has not had it easy. Read on to learn more about Sydney Sweeney's tragic real-life story.
Sydney Sweeney's family struggled financiallySydney Sweeney grew up far from the glam of Hollywood in Spokane, Washington. Her father, Steven, worked in the hospitality industry, and her mother, Lisa was a criminal defense lawyer before giving up her career to raise her children. Although they were not wealthy, the Sweeney family got by.
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It was when Sweeney embarked on her acting career that the family's finances took a hit. Relocating to Los Angeles was a huge strain and, unable to afford a home in the area, the Sweeneys took up residence in a motel. "We lived in one room," Sweeney revealed to The Hollywood Reporter. "My mom and I shared a bed and my dad and little brother shared a couch."
Sweeney was determined to achieve her goals, especially because her parents had sacrificed so much. She went on auditions and took on small roles that paid very little and also worked as a tour guide at Universal Studios, as a babysitter, and as a janitor cleaning bathrooms. But making ends meet was nearly impossible, and the Sweeney family grew less secure.Â
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"I watched my parents lose a lot," Sydney told Women's Health. "We filed for bankruptcy, and they lost their house back home on the lake." The pressure was immense, but it kept Sweeney focused. "No matter how long it took, I was going to be in a TV show or a movie, and I wasn't going to stop until something happened," she told The Hollywood Reporter.
She was bullied so much in school the police got involvedSydney Sweeney's acting aspirations not only took a toll on her family's finances, they became fodder for bullying at her school. Sweeney believed that her peers were unkind to her as a result of their parents' judgment, telling L'Officiel, "I had really close friends that suddenly weren't close anymore because of the things that their parents would say at the dinner table." Her middle school classmates began leaving her voicemails that were so cruel her parents took her phone away and the bullying became such an issue that the police were summoned to talk to Sweeney's peers.
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Sweeney's body also made her a target. As she told GQ, "I had boobs before other girls and I felt ostracized for it. I was embarrassed and I never wanted to change in the locker room." She also dealt with bouts of acne that she tried to control by putting toothpaste all over her skin, which caused her to break out in rashes.
High school in LA might have been a fresh start for Sweeney, but there she faced a new set of challenges due to her family's financial situation. She drove an old Volvo, a hand-me-down from her grandparents, that stood out like a sore thumb among her classmates' luxury cars. "I went on a date with this one guy, and [his parents said] I wasn't allowed to park in his driveway," Sweeney told Glamour.
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Sydney Sweeney blamed herself for her parents' divorceSydney Sweeney's family was instrumental in helping her achieve her goal of becoming an actor, but by the time she found fame, things had fallen apart. Sweeney's parents divorced when she was a teenager, and she couldn't help but shoulder some of the blame for this. "I think as a kid, as the eldest, I feel a responsibility," she shared with Variety. "They'll say no, or they'll say yes, depending on what fight it is. But I'll always feel responsible."
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What made matters more difficult was the fact that Sweeney's younger brother, Trent, made it clear he thought she was to blame for the divorce. After all, it was because of her that the family uprooted to LA where their finances collapsed. Sadly, Sweeney seemed to agree that following her dreams caused her family to fracture. "They always say, 'It wasn't your fault,'" she told Cosmopolitan. "It was."
But her family's strife seemed to spur Sweeney on. As she told Variety, "My parents sacrificed so much to support my dream, and they lost so much during it. I just felt a responsibility to show them that it was worth it."
She used relationships as a form of escapismSydney Sweeney seemed determined to succeed, given all that she and her family had been through. But the stress of her family's financial situation and her parents' subsequent divorce took an emotional toll on the actor. She explained to C Magazine that her parents tried to protect her from the harsh reality of money troubles and other issues, but they weren't doing her any favors. "They didn't explain things to me, and that made me angry," Sweeney said.
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Her anger led to a period of rebelling, although not through partying or substance use. Instead, Sweeney used relationships to try to quell the pain she was feeling. "I would run into the arms of guys to try to fill this void. ... I was looking for love to replace the emptiness of a home," Sweeney admitted to Cosmopolitan.
She cited her family history of substance misuse and her fear of falling into addictive behaviors as reasons she mostly stayed on the straight and narrow, leading her to avoid high school parties and become valedictorian of her high school class. But those things couldn't protect her entirely. "The acting-out Syd tried to find love through boys," she told C Magazine. "I got myself into sometimes really unfortunate and even dangerous relationships."
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Sydney Sweeney experienced a lot of rejection on her road to fameSydney Sweeney has become one the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, but her road to fame was a rocky one, full of rejection that would cause many in her shoes to simply give up. "I started [acting] when I was 11, 12 years old, and it was only in the last few years that everyone was actually interested in talking to me," she told Women's Health in 2023, adding, "There was a good eight, nine years where no one was saying yes. It was just me pushing through all the no's."
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While Sweeney landed bit parts on big series such as "Heroes," "Criminal Minds," and "90210," it would be years until she finally got her big break. "I was going to five to 10 auditions a week, and not getting a single callback," Sweeney told Variety. She didn't have anything to fall back on either, but that was by design. "I always believed that if you have a plan B, you're prepared to fail," she said.
But her persistence and confidence in her own talent didn't mean she didn't have doubts, especially when faced with the cruel reality of the entertainment industry. "I was told to lose weight or that my hair was the wrong color," Sweeney shared with Cosmopolitan. "Random things that make you start to question, 'Am I not going to ever become my dream?'"
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She had to do some nude scenes that made her feel 'disgusting'Many fans know Sydney Sweeney best from her role as Cassie in HBO's hit series "Euphoria." The role occasionally called for Sweeney to do nude scenes, which had not always been good experiences for her in the past. While "Euphoria" employed an intimacy coordinator for sex scenes, and she felt at ease discussing her comfort levels with screenwriter Sam Levinson, other roles left Sweeney feeling terrible.
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Although she did not mention specific projects, Sweeney told The Independent, "I've had experiences where I want to go home and scrub myself completely raw because I feel disgusting." She described one instance in which a director was not open to changing the script, and the scene she was filming felt gratuitous for her character. "I didn't feel comfortable with my castmate or the crew, and I just didn't feel like my character would be doing it," the actor revealed, adding, "That made me even more self-conscious."
Despite the fact that her nude scenes in "Euphoria" were filmed in a way that made Sweeney feel safe, there was still a downside to getting naked on camera. "I don't think as many people took me seriously in 'Euphoria' because I took my shirt off," she shared with Cosmopolitan.
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Sydney Sweeney broke down after internet trolls called her uglyIn 2021, Sydney Sweeney learned another hard lesson about fame when she found herself trending on X following viral posts that criticized her appearance. In one since-deleted post, she was called "a Muppet" and was referred to as ugly (via People). Sweeney did not take the trolling in stride, opting instead to post her own video calling out those who had been so publicly mean.
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Sweeney took to Instagram Live in tears, explaining the situation to her followers and expressing her feelings on the matter. "I think it's really important for people to see how words actually affect people," Sweeney said. "I know everyone says, 'You can't read things,' and 'You shouldn't read things,' but like, I'm a f***ing person," she added. The actor seemed truly hurt by the harsh criticism, concluding, "People need to be nicer on social media, because it's really f***ed up."
Sweeney's choice to make the video came after a truly horrendous day. She had taken too many birth control pills and painkillers in an effort to not look bloated for a lingerie photoshoot that coincided with her period. As a result, she became ill on the set and had to go home. She was disappointed in herself, and then got into an argument with a friend, then saw the trending posts. "People were like, 'Oh, she's just looking for attention.' People literally kill themselves over stuff like this," she told Cosmopolitan.
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Sydney Sweeney has struggled with anxietyHaving her dreams of becoming a successful actor come true was not a cure-all for Sydney Sweeney. The actor opened up about having had a panic attack in a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, explaining to the outlet, "I was losing my s***." She had gone back home for a couple of weeks to spend time with her family but couldn't shake her anxious feelings. "I still can't get my mind to shut up, and I don't sleep," she said.
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While Sweeney went on to clarify in a different publication that her panic attacks were not ongoing, she did express that she'd often struggled with anxiety. With her star on the rise and having all eyes on her, Sweeney struggled with her social anxiety in particular. "Whenever it feels like the world's so loud, and there's so much going on, and I'm trying to balance it all — sometimes, it can feel overwhelming," she told Women's Health.
In order to keep her peace of mind, Sweeney spends time engaging in one of her favorite activities, slalom waterskiing. "It's a rare moment when I can actually just hear myself breathing, where everything else goes quiet ... there are not many things that allow my brain to shut off that way," she explained.
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She felt that Hollywood encouraged backstabbingOne thing Sydney Sweeney might not have taken into account while she was working so hard to become an actor was the darker side of the entertainment world. The actor was candid in sharing her perspective that hinted at the phoniness of many show business relationships. "I see how people are like, 'We support each other' — and I'm like, 'No. You f***ing don't,'" she told The Hollywood Reporter.
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It seemed that Sweeney needed to learn whom she could trust, and perhaps that was a hard lesson. "I can feel my bubble of who I can talk to and share intimate things with and have relationships shrinking, shrinking, shrinking," she revealed.
Sweeney also noticed how the industry seemed to pit people against one another. "It's built to try to make you backstab people," she observed. "It's insane." But she had not shared her grievances with her fellow actors, not even her "Euphoria" castmates, explaining, "We don't really talk about that kind of stuff."
Sydney Sweeney couldn't afford to take a break from actingSydney Sweeney worked super hard to get the kinds of roles she eventually got to play, but her success in the industry did not mean she no longer had to worry about money. In 2022, Sweeney told The Hollywood Reporter that she wouldn't be able to take a break from acting if she wanted to because her finances didn't allow for it.
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This seemed shocking because many assume that Hollywood A-listers have a fortune along with their fame, but this was not Sweeney's reality. "I don't have someone supporting me, I don't have anyone I can turn to, to pay my bills or call for help," the actor shared. She went on to explain, "They don't pay actors like they used to, and with streamers, you no longer get residuals," candidly breaking down how much she paid her agents, lawyer, and publicists.
Much like her early days as a struggling actor, Sweeney found herself having to take on extra gigs, such as appearing in clothing and beauty campaigns. While she'd come a long way from babysitting, there was still that stress from not being able to slow down. "If I just acted, I wouldn't be able to afford my life in LA," Sweeney revealed. "I take deals because I have to."
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She was heartbroken when co-star Angus Cloud diedIn July 2023, Sydney Sweeney suffered a devastating loss when her friend and "Euphoria" co-star Angus Cloud died. Cloud, who played Fez on the HBO series, was just 25 years old and a rising star when he tragically died from an accidental overdose.
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Fans were shocked, and many mourned the loss of the young actor, including Sweeney. She took to Instagram to share a carousel of pics of her and Cloud hugging, grinning, and being silly together. Accompanying the photos was a heartbreaking caption that read in part, "Angus you were an open soul, with the kindest heart, and you filled every room with laughter. This is the hardest thing I've ever had to post, and I'm struggling to find all the words."
Although Sweeney and Cloud did not share many scenes in "Euphoria," it was clear the two had a special relationship outside of work. "This heartache is real and I wish we could've had one more hug and 711 run," Sweeney wrote in her Instagram tribute.
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Sydney Sweeney was body-shamed when her bikini pics went viralIn 2024, Sydney Sweeney's appearance once again became the target of criticism by internet trolls after paparazzi pics of the actor hanging out at her home in a bikini were posted online. In the photos, Sweeney is seen tying her hair up, adjusting her bathing suit top, and generally just lounging in the sun, but many people took the opportunity to body-shame the actor, calling her "frumpy" and making comments about her weight.
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Sweeney, not one to ignore these kinds of things, yet again addressed the issue via social media, but this time she wasn't crying. Instead, she created a clever Instagram post, a video featuring comment after disparaging comment about her body and face, including nasty remarks such as, "Wow, dumpy," "She is painfully average looking," and "She preggo?" The video then cuts to Sweeney working out and training in a boxing ring, looking strong and not to be messed with. Sweeney is set to play professional boxer Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic, but she's been a fighter herself for quite a long time.
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