Sydney Sweeney Holds Herself Responsible for Parents’ Divorce

Sydney Sweeney recently shared the intense emotional burden she felt as a teenager while her family navigated financial struggles and a subsequent divorce. Speaking on a recent podcast, the actress discussed how she internalized her parents difficulties during the early stages of her acting career.

During the December 1 episode of The Hollywood Reporters Awards Chatter podcast, Sweeney spoke about her familys relocation from Spokane, Washington, to Los Angeles when she was young. She described how she threw herself into every opportunity to strengthen her acting resume. I was doing everything I could to build my resume, make connections, and make sure my parents didnt give up on me, she said.

Though she enjoyed aspects of her childhood, Sweeney admitted she faced pressures beyond those of a typical child. Growing up in a small town and then coming to L.A., you quickly notice how expensive it is compared to where I came from, she said.

The move placed a significant strain on her family. Sweeney revealed that her father lost his job, escalating financial pressures. My family filed for bankruptcy when I was 16. They also divorced, and I felt a lot of it was my fault because I had brought them here and changed their lives. I blamed myself for a long time, she explained.

Although she had small roles in series such as Heroes and Criminal Minds as early as 2009, her major breakthrough came almost a decade later with parts in Everything Sucks! and Sharp Objects. During her teenage years, she believed achieving success could somehow reunite her parents. I put immense pressure on myself to succeed and accomplish everything, hoping I could fix what had broken, she stated.

Author: Zoe Harrison