Hollywood producer Carol Baum is expressing deep regret over her recent comments regarding Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney.
The saga began when Baum, known for her work on Father of the Bride, publicly criticized Sweeney's looks and acting abilities during a panel discussion in Pleasantville, NY.
Baum's candid remarks, captured by the Daily Mail, sent shockwaves through the industry.
"I don’t get Sydney Sweeney," she said, adding: "I wanted to know who she is and why everybody’s talking about her."
She described the 26-year-old actress' lighthearted flick as "unwatchable" and said that her students at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts couldn’t give a satisfactory reason why the star's career had taken off.
"I said to my class, 'Explain this girl to me. She’s not pretty, she can’t act. Why is she so hot?'" she recalled. "Nobody had an answer."
However, the producer then admitted that she would take on a project if the Handmaid's Tale actress starred in it. "We all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know," she said. "Your job is to get the movie made."
However, in a surprising twist, Baum now tells TMZ that she wishes she had never uttered those words. "Cr***ing on an actor like that usually isn't my style," she admitted. This comes on the heels of a scathing rebuke from Sweeney's representative, who condemned Baum's comments as "shameful."
Per E! News, Sweeney's rep said: "How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman."
"If that's what she's learned in her decades in the industry and feels is appropriate to teach to her students, that's shameful," they continued. "To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms. Baum's character."
Sweeney, whose stardom continues to rise following her breakout role in Euphoria, has been inundated with support from fans and colleagues alike. Social media erupted with messages of solidarity, with one user pointing out Sweeney's impressive achievements at a young age: "Sydney Sweeney received 2 Emmy nods for acting at age 24 [and] delivered 2 hit films she headlined AND produced at age 26."
Indeed, Sweeney's talent and success speak volumes. Her romantic comedy Anyone But You, which she produced alongside fiancé Jonathan Davino, soared to success, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated romantic comedy since 2016's Bridget Jones's Baby, according to Variety.
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