Sydney Sweeney, the 28-year-old American actress known for roles in “Euphoria,” “The White Lotus,” and “The Housemaid,” is facing possible charges of trespassing and vandalism after staging a publicity stunt at the iconic Hollywood sign. The incident took place recently when Sweeney and her team climbed the Hollywood Hills landmark to hang bags of bras from her newly launched lingerie line, SYRN, on the famous letters.
This stunt was intended to promote SYRN, which debuted alongside a video shared overnight showing the group placing lines of bras over the letters at the Hollywood sign. Though footage shows the group removing most of the bras afterward, reports suggest some lingerie items were left behind on the hillside, raising concerns about property damage and unauthorized access.
Legal Challenges Raise Questions About Permission and Access
Despite claims by Sweeney’s team that they had a filming permit, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which owns the intellectual property rights to the Hollywood sign’s image and manages permissions through the Hollywood Sign Trust, has stated otherwise. The Chamber insists that no license or authorization was given for the production involving Sweeney and her team.
Steve Nissen, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, told ABC News,
“The production involving Sydney Sweeney and the Hollywood Sign was not authorised by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce nor did we have prior knowledge of it.”
He further explained,
“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce owns the intellectual property rights to the image of the Hollywood Sign, so that anyone intending to use and/or access the Hollywood Sign for commercial purposes must obtain a license or permission from the Hollywood Chamber to do so.”
Nissen also emphasized,
“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce did not grant a license or permission of any kind to the production involving Sydney Sweeney as reported by TMZ, nor did anyone seek a license or permission from the Chamber for that production.”
Filming Permit Details and Trespassing Risks
According to reports from TMZ, the team behind the stunt may have secured approval from FilmLA, the agency responsible for issuing filming permits across Los Angeles, but this did not extend to permission for climbing the sign or altering the landmark in any way. The Hollywood sign, although situated on public land, occupies a restricted zone with strict regulations prohibiting unauthorized access, climbing, or modification.
Trespassing on the Hollywood sign’s site is considered a misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $1,000 or imprisonment for up to six months. While the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has not yet filed formal charges of trespassing or vandalism against Sydney Sweeney and her associates, the organization is currently investigating the circumstances of the stunt thoroughly. Steve Nissen stated,
“We are still investigating how and under what authority (if any) the production accessed the site.”
Official Warnings Sent to Production Company
The Chamber reportedly sent a letter to Persuasion Pictures, the production company involved, warning that they neither sought nor received rights to use the Hollywood sign’s image for commercial purposes. The letter stated,
“It has come to our attention that you and crew filmed the Hollywood Sign last night for a production connected with Persuasion Pictures.”
It cautioned that
“the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce owns the intellectual property rights to use of the image of the Hollywood Sign and neither you nor the production company have sought or received permission to use the images captured for any commercial use.”
Sydney Sweeney’s Brand Launch and Personal Insights
In announcing her lingerie brand SYRN, Sydney Sweeney shared her motivation behind the line. She revealed,
“I was in the 6th grade with DDs. I hated the bra I had to wear.”
She described the importance of designing lingerie for diverse body types, saying,
“When I bought my first cute bra that actually fit, I wore it to pieces. Designing for different bodies is a huge part of SYRN.”
Sweeney also reflected on the brand’s aim to accommodate diverse aspects of women’s lives:
“I wanted to create a place where women can move between all the different versions of who we are. I love working on cars, I go water skiing, I’ll dress up for the red carpet then go home to snuggle my dogs. I’m not one thing, no woman is.”
Previous Controversies Involving Sydney Sweeney
This is not the first time Sydney Sweeney has been embroiled in controversy linked to advertising campaigns. Last November, she became the face of an American Eagle jeans campaign featuring the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” a pun on “great genes.” Critics accused the campaign of promoting white heritage in a way that sparked backlash.
In response to the criticism, Sweeney addressed the matter to GQ, explaining,
“I know who I am. I know what I value. I know that I’m a kind person. I know that I love a lot, and I know that I’m just excited to see what happens next. And so, I don’t really let other people define who I am.”
Ongoing Interest and Anticipated Developments
The stunt involving the Hollywood sign has drawn significant attention due to the landmark’s iconic status and strict protection measures. The investigation by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will determine if charges of trespassing or vandalism will be formally pursued against Sydney Sweeney and her team. Given the seriousness of unauthorized use of the Hollywood sign’s image and site, the case highlights the legal boundaries involved with filming or promotional activities at protected cultural landmarks.
Representatives for Sydney Sweeney have been contacted for comment but have yet to provide a response. The outcome of this inquiry will likely influence future publicity efforts around the landmark and may prompt tighter enforcement of permit requirements for commercial productions.
