Today, Sydney Sweeney has a reputable acting career with various famous shows and movies. Having started her career in shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars, she has seen success with her role as Cassie Howard in the HBO drama Euphoria. She continued her journey and landed big roles in projects like The White Lotus, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Anyone But You, and recently Madame Web, though it bombed at the box office. But she feels that today’s generation doesn’t get paid the same way as earlier generation actors and it becomes necessary to take help from social media.
How Sydney Sweeney Took Help From Social Media in Bringing More Money?
Sydney Sweeney in Euphoria
Sydney Sweeney comes from a family who does not have connections in the industry and it was obvious that she faced many challenges in pursuing her career in acting. That’s why even her parents were also skeptical about her choice of career. The 26-year-old Emmy-nominated actress with her perseverance stuck to her dream and made a name for herself.
She has been quite open about the financial realities of being a working actor in today’s film industry. Her comments in a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter went viral, shedding light on the fact that despite her growing net worth, acting income isn’t always as glamorous as it seems.
“They don’t pay actors like they used to, and with streamers, you no longer get residuals,” Sweeney said. “The established stars still get paid, but I have to give 5 percent to my lawyer, 10 percent to my agents, 3 percent or something like that to my business manager. I have to pay my publicist every month, and that’s more than my mortgage.”
Sydney Sweeney on Saturday Night Live. Image Credit: Screengrab/SNL/YouTube
The absence of substantial residual earnings from streaming services became a central issue during recent strikes among actors and writers. Speaking with C, Sweeney reiterated the significance of residuals for performers and lamented the stark differences from the era dominated by network television.
“It’s all numbers,” she said. “And a lot of it is the numbers generated by tech companies. I didn’t grow up in the Jennifer Aniston time, where you could have syndication, residuals, box office, back-end deals. I’m in some of the biggest projects, but we don’t make the money that stars used to.”
Sweeney acknowledged the potential of social media to amplify her presence, akin to the role network television once played. However, she also recognized the downsides, particularly the impact on her earnings potential.
“I need the branding space. It’s such a difficult balance. I don’t treat social media the way I would if I were an influencer — I look at it more as a platform for my acting, with a little bit of Syd mixed in there — but in return, I don’t get as many endorsement opportunities because my numbers aren’t as high,” she said. “So should I lean more into it, like the TikTok stars? Then I’m not taken as seriously as an actress.”
Sweeney’s story exemplifies the complex financial realities faced by actors in the age of streaming. While social media offers a unique avenue for exposure, navigating its complexities requires a delicate balance between financial gain and artistic integrity.
Why Did Sydney Sweeney Do Revealing Photoshoots?
Sydney Sweeney in Anyone But You
The Everything Sucks actress earned a lot of applause for her acting in this short period of time. She gained fame, for her roles and sometimes for the photoshoots she did in daring lingerie or the like.
Talking about the sultry photoshoots and why she did it, the actress told THR that she “wouldn’t be able to afford [her] life in L.A.” And that she took “deals because [she has] to.”
“I thought that if I made enough money, I’d be able to buy my parents’ house back and that I’d be able to put my parents back together. But when I turned 18, I only had $800 to my name. My parents weren’t back together and there was nothing I could do to help.”
However, the Nocturne star has seen herself growing and having done multiple hits, she is not looking back.
