Sydney Sweeney’s trajectory in Hollywood came at a significant cost, leading to her parents’ bankruptcy and divorce.
At just 12 years old, Sweeney passionately persuaded her parents to focus on her acting ambitions full-time, a revelation she shared with Glamour.
Her drive was palpable; she crafted a meticulously organized five-year business plan and presented it to them using a PowerPoint. They were convinced, but in hindsight, she acknowledges that their life-changing move to Los Angeles acted as a “catalyst” for the challenges that followed, including the disintegration of their marriage and financial hardships.
In her early years on the snowswept Idaho-Washington border, Sweeney’s devoted parents took on the exhausting task of commuting nearly 38 hours round trip to Los Angeles for auditions. This immense effort, however, largely yielded roles as an extra in various projects.
At age 27, Sweeney bravely opened up about the relentless bullying she faced during middle school, stemming from her aspirations. “When are you going to come home and stop dragging your family to a hell-ridden city?” This painful questioning lingered in her mind while she struggled to carve out her identity in a city that seemed to turn indifferent towards her dreams.
“There was a moment where I stopped wanting to go home, which made me really sad, because I felt like a failure.”
Sweeney recounted how her family’s move to the City of Angels pushed them to their limits, both financially and emotionally. They sacrificed, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hollywood’s elusive promise.
In 2016, the stress culminated in divorce and bankruptcy filings that would reverberate profoundly in Sweeney’s life. Yet, amid this hardship, her resolve only grew stronger—fueled by a sense of duty towards her parents.
“There was a moment where I stopped wanting to go home, which made me really sad, because I felt like a failure,” she confided. The weight of her family’s sacrifices pressed down on her shoulders like a heavy cloak.
“I knew that I could never actually fail… my family did lose everything. They did get a divorce. Whether or not that was because of coming here, it definitely was a catalyst for it. So I knew I had to succeed in some capacity so that it wasn’t for nothing.” Those words encapsulate the heart-wrenching internal battle she faced, balancing personal ambition with family loyalty.
While reminiscing about her humble beginnings, Sweeney reflected on the importance of maintaining financial integrity. She declared, “I come from a family where I saw my parents lose everything, and I am terrified of that.” This experience instilled a frugality in her approach to money—an invaluable lesson she wouldn’t soon forget.
Today, the Emmy-nominated talent proudly shares her financial accomplishments: paying off her mother’s mortgage and treating her family to unforgettable vacations. Memories of her grandparents in Italy will forever stand out as milestones in her journey. There’s a sense of sweetness in her triumph—an effort to mend the past with her current financial successes, including purchasing her uncle’s dream boat for future family gatherings. These gestures tell a story of love fused with recovery.
Sweeney was recently spotted in Charlotte, North Carolina, embodying a completely transformed persona on the set of her upcoming film, reportedly titled “Black Bear.” The anticipation around her portrayal of real-life boxing icon Christy Martin hints at Sweeney’s dedication to her craft and her continual evolution as an actress.
