Sydney Sweeney: Back in Venice

I’m not necessarily talking about Sydney Sweeney being back in Venice for the film festival, it’s Venice in general, for other reasons, including Scooter Braun. Because last year she was in Venice for the Bezos wedding and Scooter was there too and that is presumably when their relationship started. And now it’s looking like it’s pretty serious because she was with him and his kids the other day in LA doing the most LA thing – getting a smoothie.

Today, though, she’s in Venice ahead of the opening night gala which is tonight, this time in her capacity as an ambassador for Armani Beauty. She’s repped the brand at the festival before but hasn’t had a film screened there, at least not yet. Last year, however, she was at TIFF for the world premiere of Christy and you’ll recall, following it’s TIFF debut, there was some Oscar hype for her performance in the film. In the end, the hype didn’t meet the reality and I’m not sure whether or not she was that serious of a contender, and certainly not after the movie flopped in theatres. But sometimes the hype is the whole point. The narrative around Sydney Sweeney is that one day she is expected to be a nominee. Perhaps next year?

Earlier this year Sydney worked on the film adaptation of Edith Wharton’s Custom of the Country, playing the lead character Undine Spragg. There have been a number of recent attempts to adapt this novel, including the idea to turn it into a television series by Sofia Coppola which ultimately fell through because, as she said, the studio (Apple) wasn’t keen on how “unlikeable” Undine is in the story. Undine isn’t likeable but that’s also the point if you’ve read Wharton’s book.

She’s a social climber, she keeps marrying and divorcing in order to achieve status, but whenever she gets to the next level, the thirst is still there – her ambition is relentless, and relentlessly superficial. What matters to Undine is the title, the access, the clothing, the looks, the attention. So it’s actually a story that’s as applicable today as it ever was, especially in the age of social media, chasing material and digital and filtered gratification and how it’s become a trap that women have been drawn into. Undine isn’t “likeable” because she keeps winning at the worst game… but at the same time, what other game could she have possibly played?

Sofia could only see Florence Pugh in the role and, indeed, Florence would have killed it. That said, it’s not like Sydney isn’t suited for this kind of role. It may not be as… elevated of a version as it could be through Flo’s performance but there’s a certain hungry grime to Undine that Sydney could pull off. She’s not my favourite actor, and a lot of the time I think she’s overrated, but Sydney Sweeney as Undine Spragg makes total sense to me.

Custom of the Country, written and directed by Josie Rourke, is currently in post and it could be a factor on the 2027 festival circuit. And it’s not just Sydney, the full cast is impressive – Leo Woodall, Rose Leslie, Matthew Goode, Hugh Dancy, just to name a few. Christy didn’t live up to the hype for Sydney but Custom of the Country just might.