The musician Halsey expressed her frustration on social media on Thursday after her latest movie, Americana, was shunned by audiences due to a controversial ad featuring her co-star Sydney Sweeney for American Eagle jeans.

Halsey, whose real name is Ashley Frangipane, and Sweeney star in the crime drama Americana, portraying two women caught in a violent struggle over a precious stolen Native American relic.

However, the film, which premiered in cinemas on August 15, failed to attract viewers, grossing only $500,000 against its $9 million budget, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Social media users had pledged to avoid the movie after Sweeney appeared in an American Eagle advertisement perceived by some as endorsing eugenics and extreme right-wing politics.

On Thursday, Halsey addressed her Instagram followers, defending Americana and encouraging them to watch it, while noticeably not offering support for her co-star Sydney.

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for both Halsey and Sydney but has not yet received a response. 

In one since-deleted post, Halsey shared a copy of Americana’s poster — which prominently featured first-billed Sydney — while praising the movie and its director, Tony Tost.

‘you should go see this movie. because @tonytost made an exceptional film, in honor of a genre he knows intimately,’ the singer–songwriter wrote. ‘Because his work and his vision are greater than the 24 hr gossip tabloid denim bulls***.

‘He’s an incredible artist who made a great film with a group of hardworking, talented people. If you love cinema, than you should know that cinema comes first [sic]. This is cinema,’ she added.

In another swiftly deleted post, Halsey shared a closeup of her face in which she had a smear of blood on her chin.

She appeared to be responding to fans who criticized her for what they believed was a defense of her film, but the hitmaker clarified that she was standing up for the majority of the crew who helped make Americana. 

‘I do agree that our words are important in this climate,’ she clarified. ‘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.

‘If it’s not clear who the actual people I’m standing up for are, I’m sorry look closer,’ she concluded.

In what appeared to be a since-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), Halsey was even more explicit about the people she was ‘standing up for.’

‘I’m not upset the film’s release is being hurt by the timing. I am upset that bunch of non celebrity people involved in this film are being bullied by the media,’ she appeared to write. 

‘I have said everything I am permitted to say about my feelings on the ad. And if you’re a fan of mine and think I “support eugenics” than idk what to say idk why you’re a fan then tbh…’ 

On Reddit, where Halsey’s posts were preserved, fans were largely supportive of her message. 

‘She’s saying “this movie has nothing to do with that stupid ae bulls***” in the nicest way possible but because no one knows how read nowadays, she’s being intentionally misunderstood,’ wrote one fan.

‘It sucks that Halsey is affected and has to be the most vocal one about this (although she can definitely word this better) and dumba** Sydney Sweeney gets to stay silent and sell bath water soap or whatever,’ another fan wrote.

‘She is going into further detail and nuance on Twitter but I’m sure it won’t be enough to sate those who are “upset,”‘ one user added.

‘Genuinely don’t understand how Halsey is at all wrong for this take,’ wrote one stumped fan. 

Halsey’s online fury comes in the wake of her costar Sydney breaking her social media silence earlier this month with her first Instagram post since her recent American Eagle campaign sparked global outrage.

After weeks of dominating headlines over her role in the polarizing ad, which ignited a political firestorm online, the actress star chose not to address the controversy.

Instead of defending herself or issuing an apology, the Euphoria star returned to Instagram to promote Americana just days before its debut in theaters.

‘A few years ago I filmed this little movie with some friends and now you get to meet Penny Jo,’ she captioned a slideshow of behind-the-scenes images.

The first photo showed the two-time Emmy nominee gazing ahead from the driver’s seat of a car. 

Other snaps featured her grinning in a trailer, posing for a mirror selfie on a digital camera while wearing a curly blonde wig and strumming a guitar in her bedroom.

Another shot captured her costar, Halsey, flashing the rock-and-roll hand sign. 

Last month, Sweeney was placed in the center of a fierce debate about race, marketing and accountability after becoming the face of American Eagle’s fall denim campaign.

Consumers were divided over the ad’s tagline, ‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans’ — a deliberate play on the phrase ‘great genes.’ 

One viral clip shows Sweeney standing in front of a poster reading ‘Sydney Sweeney has great genes,’ with the word ‘genes’ crossed out and replaced with ‘jeans.’ 

Another video includes Sweeney saying, ‘Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,’ as the camera pans to her blue eyes, then she adds, ‘My jeans are blue.’

While the campaign’s clever wordplay was intended to be playful and bold, it ignited accusations on social media platforms of promoting racial undertones, eugenics, and white supremacy — largely due to the focus on genetics alongside Sweeney’s blue-eyed image.

On August 1, American Eagle stated: ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans.’ 

‘Her jeans. Her story,’ the company insisted in their statement. ‘We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.’ 

Meanwhile, Sweeney has still not publicly commented on the controversy. 

Amid the backlash, crisis PR expert Eric Schiffer didn’t mince his words about the risks of Sweeney’s silence in an interview with DailyMail.com.

‘Sydney’s mute button is a toxic time‑bomb with some people on the left – every hour of hush hurls her wholesome brand deeper into racial quicksand,’ the CEO of Reputation Management Consultants claimed.

He warned that failing to speak out ‘will be seen as a brutal insult to many shoppers on the left.’

Schiffer continued, ‘Sydney’s no‑comment stance will scream ruthless privilege to those offended and critics feast on the void like vultures on a desert carcass.’

Still, Schiffer acknowledged how Sweeney staying quiet might resonate differently with conservative audiences.

‘For conservatives, Sydney refusing to grovel denies the mob its delicious public‑shaming ritual and would be seen as a brutal power move,’ he said. ‘Because for conservatives, silence isn’t weakness, it’s an ironclad shield against manipulative narrative‑hijackers.’

The ad campaign remains visible on American Eagle’s website, which lauds Sweeney’s ‘girl next door charm’ and ‘main character energy.’ 

But for many observers, charm and brushing off the critics alone won’t defuse what’s now become a PR landmine.

Alexandria Hurley, a Las Vegas-based publicist, speculated to DailyMail.com that the idea to stir the pot was not a mistake at all.

‘From a PR perspective, what we’re seeing from Sydney Sweeney isn’t a “misstep” or “Pepsi moment.” It’s a calculated brand evolution. The idea that this ad slipped through the cracks underestimates both her and her team,’ she explained.

Hurley went on to point out: ‘Sydney has flirted with controversy before — from her SNL Hooters skit to her recent Bathwater Bliss collaboration with Dr. Squatch — and rather than walk it back after criticism, she’s leaned further in. That’s not oversight. That’s strategy.’

She also stressed that the ‘Great Genes’ tagline was ‘deliberately’ provocative and that the ‘racial undertones being called out aren’t subtle.’

‘Instead of apologizing, she and American Eagle quickly pivoted with a visual ‘fix,’ having her paint over the billboard. It’s a gesture that looks performative at best, especially in the absence of any direct acknowledgement of the criticism,’ Hurley stated.

As for whether the silence is hurting Sweeney, Hurley responded: ‘Not necessarily — because I don’t think silence is the problem. It’s the intention. This is a play for attention, not respectability. She’s embracing a kind of polarizing, headline-generating persona — and for now, it’s working. It has people talking, and brands who care more about reach than responsibility may still line up. That’s the gamble.’

Jonathon Narvey, CEO and Founder of Mind Meld PR Inc., offered a similar perspective.

‘It’s possible that American Eagle was counting on precisely this kind of media buzz. It’s not that the ad itself is controversial. The tagline is vaguely funny and Sydney Sweeney is an attractive person, so on its own, maybe this fashion advertisement would have been destined for a ‘meh’ kind of reaction. But the Internet being what it is, they may have anticipated this so-called controversy,’ he conjectured.

Christina Kroll, founder of Kroll PR, pointed to the layered risks in fashion messaging today: ‘In today’s hyper-aware media climate, where every word is scrutinized for tone and implication, simplicity isn’t always a strength.’

Kroll concluded: ‘Campaigns like this demand the insight of seasoned professionals, not interns, because understanding nuance and cultural context is critical.’

Grayce McCormick, founder of Lightfinder Public Relations and crisis communications strategist, stressed the dangers of silence.

‘A direct acknowledgment would humanize her, affirm that she’s listening, and model accountability to her young, diverse audience,’ McCormick advised.

Toni Ferrara, founder and CEO of Ferrara Media, pushed back on the severity of the criticism.

‘Not every controversy needs a Notes app apology. Sydney isn’t a politician, she’s the face of a denim ad. Her silence isn’t necessarily making things worse, it’s often smarter to let the brand take the lead when the message and controversy stems from their creative direction,’ Ferrara said.

Alexandria Hammond, Principal at BrandNEWS PR Consulting Firm, weighed in on Sweeney’s responsibility in this situation.

‘This situation is 75% American Eagle’s responsibility and 25% Sydney Sweeney’s. Major brands must have diverse voices in decision-making positions to avoid situations like this,’ Hammond added. ‘The only reason we’re hearing about this one is because of who the brand and the talent are. Sydney absolutely has the right — and the platform — to question the brand’s messaging. By agreeing to this campaign, she essentially co-signed both the brand and its message.’

Hammond warned, ‘Sydney needs to acknowledge her privilege as a white woman in her response. She cannot hide behind American Eagle’s misstep because she was a willing participant. In agreeing to this campaign, she showed that for the right price, she was willing to ignore the values of her diverse, young fan base. Bottom line: she sold out.’

Meanwhile, celebrity publicist Sarah Anne Schmidt offered a balanced view on next steps.

‘Unless she was deeply involved in the messaging itself, it’s likely the final language was handled by the brand’s creative team or agency partners. In this case, the public backlash centers on the tagline, not the visuals or creative choices that most talent weigh in on,’ Schmidt said.

Schmidt also emphasized the importance of response timing as ‘silence creates a vacuum.’

‘Speed, candor, and authenticity are the foundation of trust. A response should come from Sydney, but depending on her contract, she may not be able to speak until she aligns with the brand on their shared path forward. When she does, the tone should be empathetic and direct, not defensive,’ the publicist recommended.

Publicist Courtney Haywood echoed the call for direct accountability.

‘In this moment, silence is for sure not golden! Silence doesn’t equal neutrality, and it reads as indifference,’ she said. ‘Especially in a cultural climate where audiences are more aware and vocal than ever, waiting too long to speak up only adds fuel to the fire.’

Haywood urged Sweeney to ‘own the moment’ and not ‘hide behind legal jargon or brand language.’

‘Acknowledge how it landed, thank the people who spoke up, and commit to learning from it. That’s what builds long-term credibility, not perfection,’ she said.