Sydney Sweeney may be ruling hearts with breakout performances in Euphoria, The Housemaid, and her upcoming projects, but she has now drawn sharp criticism from Hollywood icon Kim Novak.
The Vertigo star made a controversial statement against Sweeney.
She declared Sweeney was “totally wrong to play me” in the biopic Scandalous!, which explores Novak’s relationship with Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1950s.
In a recent interview with The Times of London, Novak voiced her disapproval of the casting, saying, “I would never have approved.”
She added that Sweeney “sticks out so much above the waist”.
She expressed concern that the film will focus on the sexual side of her romance with Davis rather than the deeper connection they shared.
“There’s no way it wouldn’t be a sexual relationship because Sydney Sweeney looks sexy all the time,” Novak continued.
The film reunites Sweeney with her Euphoria costar Colman Domingo, who makes his directorial debut.
David Jonsson will portray Davis.
Sweeney also serves as a producer on the project, which she described as a “labor of love” after personally recruiting Domingo to helm the story.
According to Netflix Junkie, Scandalous! will chronicle the brief 1957 romance between Novak and Davis, a relationship challenged by racism and Hollywood scrutiny.
Director Colman Domingo has called it a “fractured love story,” aiming to craft a tender film about the struggle to maintain love and privacy under constant public attention.
Novak, however, has emphasized that their relationship was never scandalous, describing Davis as someone she deeply cared for and connected with.
At 92, she remains protective of her legacy, worried that the film might distort her story.
The biopic is expected to release in 2026, though no official date has been announced.
