Sure, Sydney Sweeney may be nominated for two Emmy Awards, but even she has to work to pay the bills.
The "Euphoria" star, 24, said in a recent interview that she can’t afford to stop acting.
“If I wanted to take a six-month break, I don’t have income to cover that,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.
“I don’t have someone supporting me, I don’t have anyone I can turn to, to pay my bills or call for help.”
Sweeney plays Cassie, an insecure teenager with daddy issues, on the HBO hit “Euphoria.” The role has earned her an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series, and she also snagged a second nod for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie for HBO's “The White Lotus."
The racy content on “Euphoria” has been a hit with viewers — heck, even Sweeney’s grandmother gives the thumbs up to her nude scenes, and the popular series has been renewed for a third season. Sweeney may be a rising star on the network, but she says the pay structure has changed for performers.
“They don’t pay actors like they used to, and with streamers, you no longer get residuals,” she said. “The established stars still get paid, but I have to give five percent to my lawyer, 10 percent to my agents, three percent or something like that to my business manager. I have to pay my publicist every month, and that’s more than my mortgage.”
Sweeney, who may want to consider a side hustle as a mechanic, also says networks don’t necessarily pay for makeup, travel, hair and styling costs needed to do publicity events for shows, which prompted her to sign on as an ambassador for women’s clothing brand Miu Miu and to appear in an ad campaign for Armani.
“If I just acted, I wouldn’t be able to afford my life in L.A. I take deals because I have to," she said.
Sweeney has also purchased a home in Los Angeles, which she says stretched her finances.
“I couldn’t believe I was even able to buy a house,” she said. “I want to be able to stay there.”
While Sweeney continues her ascent in Hollywood, she hasn’t forgotten what it took to make it to this point in her career.
“The rejection you get while you’re trying to learn to be yourself is insane,” she said. “It’s insane how adults look at you.”
“I had no idea getting into this industry how many people have connections,” she added. “I started from ground zero, and I know how f------ hard it is. Now I see how someone can just walk in a door, and I’m like, ‘I worked my f------ ass off for 10 years for this.’”
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