Megyn Kelly tore into Sydney Sweeney, blasting the actress over a provocative “Euphoria” teaser that she said crossed a disturbing line.
“This is sexualizing infancy,” Kelly said on Tuesday’s episode of SiriusXM’s “The Megyn Kelly Show.”
The conservative commentator reacted to a newly released preview for Season 3 of HBO’s hit drama “Euphoria,” which appears to show Sweeney’s character embarking on an OnlyFans-style storyline.
Kelly described the clip in graphic terms, saying Sweeney is shown “dressed as a baby… sucking on a binky pacifier” with her “legs … completely spread.”
“I can’t believe she agreed to this frankly and was in this,” Kelly said.
The backlash comes as Season 3 of “Euphoria,” which premiered on Sunday, has already sparked controversy over the kink-coded imagery depicted by Sweeney’s character that critics have described as degrading and fetishistic.
Kelly called Sweeney’s pacifier scene “sick” and accused the show of pushing boundaries for shock value.
The former Fox News host also took direct aim at the show’s creator, Sam Levinson.
“I think this guy’s sick … Sam Levinson,” she said.
She cited reports that Sweeney and other actors who have worked with Levinson on the set of “Euphoria” have pushed back on his suggestions for more nudity in scenes.
Several “Euphoria” actresses, including Sweeney, have spoken out about feeling uncomfortable with the amount of nudity written into the show.
“He constantly wants the women to take their clothes off for, like, scenes that don’t require them to be nude at all,” Kelly said of Levinson.
She framed the controversy as part of a broader cultural problem in Hollywood.
“I think this is another example of Hollywood not understanding at all where the line is,” Kelly said.
“And how most normal people are going to recoil … in response to what’s essentially the sexualization of a child, of a baby.”
The backlash comes as anticipation builds for the next season of “Euphoria,” the HBO drama that helped launch Sweeney to stardom.
The teaser suggests her character Cassie may pivot to a social media influencer persona, potentially involving adult content platforms.
Sweeney has addressed concerns about nudity in the series, saying in past interviews that she has pushed back on scenes she felt were unnecessary.
Kelly’s criticism marks a sharp turn from her earlier, more favorable commentary on the actress.
Last year, the podcaster praised Sweeney as a “real” and “natural” beauty while defending her during the backlash over an American Eagle ad campaign in which the actress touted her “great jeans,” punning on “genes.”
The campaign quickly became a culture-war flashpoint, but American Eagle stood by it — and Sweeney — as the controversy drove massive attention. The company reported surging sales, sold-out denim and a spike in brand awareness.
Kelly applauded Sweeney for largely staying out of the fray at the time, saying she handled the moment “like a boss.”
But Kelly later suggested Sweeney had “caved” to industry pressure after speaking out more directly about the backlash.
The journalist has also criticized some of Sweeney’s wardrobe choices on the red carpet.
Sweeney told People she did the American Eagle ad because she loves the brand and emphasized that she is “against hate and divisiveness,” pushing back on negative interpretations of the campaign.
The Post has sought comment from HBO and reps for Sweeney and Levinson.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
