'Americana' crew defends movie amid Sydney Sweeney ad backlash

Halsey, co-star of the film Americana alongside Sydney Sweeney, has come to the defense of her movie amid calls for a boycott due to Sweeney's recent American Eagle ad controversy. 

The ad, which sparked widespread debate, was accused of promoting eugenics and far-right politics.

Despite its promising premise, Americana opened to a disappointing $500,000 at the box office, with some speculating that the controversy surrounding Sweeney's ad may have contributed to its underwhelming performance. 

The film, made on a $9 million budget, tells the story of Mandy, a desperate woman fleeing a mysterious past who gets entangled in a violent struggle over a stolen Lakota Ghost Shirt.

Halsey took to Instagram to urge fans to watch Americana, praising director Tony Tost's exceptional work. "You should go see this movie because @tonytost made an exceptional film, in honor of a genre he knows intimately," she wrote. 

"Because his work and his vision are greater than the 24 hr gossip tabloid denim bulls***." 

She added, "He's an incredible artist who made a great film with a group of hardworking, talented people. If you love cinema, then you should know that cinema comes first. This is cinema."

Halsey also expressed her thoughts on the controversy, saying, "I do agree that our words are important in this climate. I don't, however, think that it's fair for the news cycle to predatorily rip a hardworking director and his hardworking crew for this film that is completely separate-from and unrelated-to a (pretty dumb) advertising take." 

She concluded by saying, "If it's not clear who the actual people I'm standing up for are, I'm sorry look closer."

American Eagle responded to the backlash, stating, "It's always been about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."