Sydney Sweeney responds to ‘sad and shameful’ producer who said she ‘can’t act’ and ‘isn’t pretty’
Sydney Sweeney has hit back at a Hollywood producer who said she “can’t act” and is “not pretty”, calling her comments “sad” and “shameful”.
The 26-year-old actress, who’s starred in hits including White Lotus and Euphoria, is hot property in LA right now, most recently producing and starring in independent horror film Immaculate – just one of three feature films she’s had out in the last six months.
Producer Carol Baum, pictured in 2007. Pic: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for CineVegas
However, the Emmy-nominated actress came in for negative attention from veteran producer Carol Baum, who specifically referenced Sweeney following a film screening, asking the audience: “She’s not pretty, she can’t act. Why is she so hot?”
Baum, who has produced over 30 movies including Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Father Of The Bride, was speaking in front of a live audience with New York Times film critic Janet Maslin at an event in Pleasantville, New York, following a screening of her 1988 film Dead Ringers, staring Jeremy Irons.
Responding to the comments, a representative for Sweeney told Sky News: “How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman.
“If that’s what she’s learned in her decades in the industry and feels is appropriate to teach to her students, that’s shameful.
“To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms Baum’s character.”
Baum’s comments, reported in Variety, were: “There’s an actress who everybody loves now: Sydney Sweeney. I don’t get Sydney Sweeney. I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeney’s movie [Anyone But You] because I wanted to watch it.
“I wanted to know who she is and why everybody’s talking about her. I watched this unwatchable movie – sorry to people who love this… romantic comedy where they hate each other.”
Sweeney, far right, in Madame Web. Pic: Madame Web trailer/Sony Pictures Entertainment
‘She’s not pretty, she can’t act’
Baum, who also lectures at the University of Southern California went on: “I said to my class, ‘Explain this girl to me. She’s not pretty, she can’t act. Why is she so hot?’
“Nobody had an answer. But then the question was asked, ‘Well, if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it?’…
“That’s a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made, and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made.”
Rom com Anyone But You, which also stars actor Glen Powell, was a surprise hit taking £218m (£175m) worldwide at the box office.
‘It IS unwatchable’
Journalist Maslin later referenced the discussion on Twitter, writing: “It IS unwatchable. Carol Baum said this after we screened Dead Ringers at the Jacob Burns Film Center and she mentioned having seen Anyone But You on a plane”.
Maslin did not directly mention Baum’s comments about Sweeney’s looks or acting.
Baum has since expressed “regret” over her words, according to American celebrity gossip site TMZ.
Sky News has contacted Carol Baum for comment.
Ed Sheeran helped Ipswich Town to sign a player over the summer just before getting on stage with Taylor Swift, according to the club’s chief executive.
Mark Ashton claims the pop star got on a video call to encourage a prospective new signing to seal his move to the East Anglia outfit.
He did not reveal the player’s name, but said he is “certainly scoring a few goals” and is a fan of Sheeran, who is a minor shareholder at his hometown club.
“Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground, just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift,” Ashton told a Soccerex industry event in Miami.
“Hopefully that was a key part in getting the player across the line.”
Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran at Wembley Stadium. Pic: Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images
Sheeran and pop icon Swift were on stage together on 15 August at Wembley Stadium, one day before Sammie Szmodics signed from Blackburn.
After scoring an overhead kick in Ipswich’s 2-1 win over Tottenham this month, he shared a picture of himself with Sheeran on Instagram.
“Overhead kick, Win & a smudge with big ed. GET IN THERE,” Szmodics wrote alongside the post.
Ashton joked Sheeran is now “officially a part of our recruitment team”, adding he is a “local man” and “global superstar”.
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Sheeran has been the club’s shirt sponsor since 2021 and is regularly seen at matches at the club’s Portman Road stadium.
Ipswich host giants Manchester United on Sunday, a match that’s particularly notable for being Ruben Amorim‘s first game in charge of the Red Devils.
The voice actor behind Milhouse Van Houten – Bart Simpson’s very uncool friend – is stepping away after 35 years on the show.
Pamela Hayden, who also voiced Jimbo Jones, Rod Flanders, Janey and Malibu Stacy, will sign off from The Simpsons on 24 November in a Treehouse of Horror episode.
“It’s been an honour and a joy to have worked on such a funny, witty, and groundbreaking show,” the 70-year-old said in a statement.
Pamela Hayden. File pic: AP
Show creator Matt Groening said: “Pamela gave us tons of laughs with Milhouse, the hapless kid with the biggest nose in Springfield.
“She made Milhouse hilarious and real, and we will miss her.”
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Milhouse first appeared in a Butterfinger commercial in 1989 and was named after former US president Richard Milhous Nixon.
Groening said he adopted it “because that was the most unfortunate name a kid could have”.
The nearsighted character was often the butt of most jokes and bullied mercilessly by Nelson.
In one episode, Bart got Milhouse placed on the America’s Most Wanted list.
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