How different is what Sydney Sweeney does compared to photos of some athletes? Critic doesn't think it is

Sydney Sweeney 's controversial Novig campaign has prompted a debate that goes beyond nudity, with critics questioning whether a sports-themed advertisement can be compared with ESPN's The Body Issue, where athletes have posed nude while discussing their careers. The actress shared images from ESPN 's celebrated photographic series after criticism of her campaign, drawing attention to the publication's history of featuring prominent athletes without clothing. The comparison has since become a talking point online.

Launched on September 9, the Novig campaign featured Sweeney posing nude with sporting equipment strategically covering her body. The advertisement repeatedly used the phrase "just sports," a message that became central to the ensuing discussion. Some female athletes and social media users questioned whether the campaign genuinely celebrated sport or instead used a woman's appearance to promote a brand. The criticism placed the advert within a broader conversation about representation.

Sweeney responded by sharing ESPN The Body Issue photographs featuring athletes including Nneka Ogwumike , Serena Williams and Megan Rapinoe on her Instagram Stories. The images offered a comparison with a publication that has regularly explored athletic bodies through nude and semi-nude photography. The discussion soon moved to X.com, formerly, where user Dom Clare questioned why Sweeney' s campaign had attracted criticism when ESPN had incorporated nudity into sports coverage for years. Clare argued that the distinction between the two projects deserved closer examination, raising questions about whether the objections concerned the nudity itself or the commercial purpose of the advertisement.

“ESPN combined sports and nudity for over a decade,” Clare wrote. “So, what is your true issue with the Sydney Sweeney ad? Is it because it’s an ad? Is it because she’s hot? “If it’s mixing sports and nudity that may sexualize female athletes, why didn’t you have an issue with ESPN?” The contrast becomes clearer when looking at Ogwumike 's 2017 appearance in The Body Issue . The Los Angeles Sparks forward had just won her first WNBA championship, giving the photographs a direct connection to her sporting achievements. Ogwumike said she had wanted to participate for years because of the distinguished athletes selected for the issue. She also viewed the experience as an opportunity to reveal a more personal side of herself. The accompanying feature emphasized the physical demands of elite basketball, placing her body within the context of training, competition and athletic performance. That context is central to the distinction being raised by critics. The disagreement is not simply about whether women can pose nude. It also concerns the purpose behind the images, how they are presented and whether the athletes' accomplishments remain central to the story.

Sydney Sweeney next movie: What will actress star in next?

Sweeney 's career has extended well beyond her public image, with performances in Euphoria , The White Lotus and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood earning her critical attention and Primetime Emmy nominations. Her upcoming project includes Sleepy Hollow , a horror feature directed by Lindsey Anderson Beer . Beer has adapted her own novel, Hollow , for the big screen, although details of the film's plot remain under wraps. The novel reimagines Washington Irving' s 1820 short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , following Katrina Van Tassel through a dangerous mystery and supernatural love triangle. Its story combines gothic atmosphere with psychological intrigue. The book is scheduled for publication in Fall 2027, while further details about Sony 's film production and its remaining cast have yet to be announced. Sweeney 's involvement adds another genre project to her expanding filmography.