Sydney Sweeney’s run of controversies isn’t slowing down — and Sharon Stone isn’t staying quiet about it.
Here’s the original story: PEOPLE first reported that Stone, speaking at Variety’s 2026 Power of Women: Los Angeles event, addressed the backlash to Sweeney’s nearly-nude ad for sports betting platform Novig. Stone told the outlet it was “up to her to take responsibility for her actions,” placing accountability with Sweeney rather than casting judgment herself. She said her own stance was to stand behind the women who’ve built real careers as champions in their sports, adding that companies shouldn’t have to diminish women’s sports to capture male attention for gambling. Read the original report at PEOPLE.
Here’s what we think: Stone’s comments land in a bigger conversation about what the Novig ad was actually selling — and who it was really for. We broke down why a sports betting app needed nudity at all, and why the “just sports” framing didn’t hold up once female athletes started calling it out. The Sydney Sweeney Betting Ad Backlash Is About the Sexualization, and Who’s Cashing In.
Worth reading too: Novig’s own CEO has since gone on record about why he cast Sweeney and what he was actually trying to achieve with the campaign — and his answer says a lot about whether “women’s sports” was ever really the point. Novig CEO Finally Speaks Out About the Sydney Sweeney Ad.
Here’s the original story, continued: This isn’t the first time Stone has commented on Sweeney’s choices. In a Variety interview published earlier in September, Stone referenced her Euphoria arc, where her character tries to pull Sweeney’s character away from camming and toward more mainstream work. Sweeney’s character agreed to the change on screen — and Stone added, referencing Sweeney’s own lingerie brand, that “it didn’t take” in real life.
Our take: That remark fits a pattern we’ve been tracking for a while. Sweeney’s public image has leaned on an attention-driven playbook that once felt fresh. In 2026, audiences are starting to notice the repetition. Sydney Sweeney Thinks Her Viral “Euphoria” Attention-Driven Image Still Works — But in 2026, the Pamela Anderson Playbook Feels Outdated.
The bottom line: The Novig ad is just the latest chapter. Sweeney has weathered controversy before, from the American Eagle “jeans” campaign backlash to hanging bras from the Hollywood sign to promote her lingerie line. Through it all, she’s largely avoided responding directly, saying she prefers to let criticism pass rather than engage with it.
Whether this latest round changes that approach remains to be seen — but with Stone now weighing in publicly for a second time, it’s clear the story isn’t fading anytime soon.
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