Producer Carol Baum made comments about Sweeney at a screening
Sydney Sweeney is fighting back after receiving some harsh criticism.
After reports began circulating that longtime Hollywood producer Carol Baum spoke about Sweeney during a movie screening, questioning her appeal by saying that she is not "pretty" or a strong actress, a rep for the "Anyone But You" star gave a scathing statement on the matter to Fox News Digital.
"How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman," the statement read. "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. To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms Baum’s character."
SYDNEY SWEENEY FANS DEFEND HOLLYWOOD STAR AFTER PRODUCER SAYS SHE'S ‘NOT PRETTY’ AND ‘CAN’T ACT'
Sydney Sweeney's rep called Carol Baum's comments about the star "shameful." (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
In addition to starring in "Anyone But You," Sweeney acted as an executive producer. She is also listed as a producer for her latest movie, "Immaculate."
Baum has been directing movies since the 1980s, with movies like "Father of the Bride," "Fly Away Home" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" on her list of film credits.
Baum's comments were made last week at a screening of her 1988 movie "Dead Ringers" at the Jacob Burns Film Center in New York.
According to the Daily Mail, she took place in a discussion following the screening, which is when she told the audience, "There's an actress who everybody loves now — Sydney Sweeney. I don't get Sydney Sweeney."
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Sydney Sweeney, left, was criticized by producer Carol Baum. (Getty Images)
The producer said that she had recently watched "Anyone But You" on a plane, explaining, "I wanted to know who she is and why everybody's talking about her. I watched this unwatchable movie — sorry to people who love this movie — [this] romantic comedy where they hate each other."
Baum, who also works as a professor at USC, continued, "I said to my class, 'Explain this girl to me. She's not pretty, she can't act. Why is she so hot?'"
She said that "nobody had an answer" to her question.
Several people came to Sweeney's defense on social media. One person joked on X, "I feel like Sydney Sweeneys hotness is one of the few thing most Americans agree on right now."
Sydney Sweeney is being defended on social media after Carol Baum's comments began circulating. (Getty Images)
Another attempted to explain what they thought Baum's thought process may have been, saying, "Its how the old school producers are.. nobodies perfect enough, everybody’s fat and ugly."
One comment read, "It is hard to say who is truly a good actor, so maybe you can argue that. But to say she is not pretty is crazy. This girl is gorgeous. Her body and hair are close to perfection. Even if you did not think she was very pretty, she is nowhere near ugly."
Baum has not returned Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Emily Trainham is an entertainment editor for Fox News Digital.
