Sharon Stone Criticizes Sydney Sweeney’s Ad: “She Needs to Take Responsibility”

Sharon Stone has reacted to the recent controversies involving her “Euphoria” co-star Sydney Sweeney, following her ad for the sports betting app Novig. Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the “Variety’s 2026 Power of Women: Los Angeles” event, held on September 23 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the 68-year-old actress said that Sweeney should take responsibility for the campaign, which has drawn strong reactions, particularly from female athletes.

In the ad, Sweeney appears in provocative poses with sports equipment while promoting the app for predictions and betting on sports such as the NBA and NFL. “I think it’s up to her to take responsibility for her actions, not for me to judge her for her actions,” Stone said. “It’s up to me to be supportive of women who have gotten to that point and become champions in women’s sports.”

Stone added that promoting betting should not be done by sexualizing women’s sports. “We cannot denigrate women’s sports to attract men’s attention so that they gamble,” she said.

During the interview, Stone also shared a story from her high school years. She said she had threatened to take legal action if she were not allowed to try out for the boys’ golf team, since her school had no sports team for girls. “I had something to prove,” the actress said, adding that she eventually made the boys’ team.

The Novig ad has drawn reactions from several athletes, who have criticized the way Sweeney uses her image to promote a sports betting platform. British athlete Amy Hunt, after a race on September 13, referred to the ad during an interview with BBC Sport, saying: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like.” American gymnast Gracie Kramer also reacted on social media. She posted a video with moments from her sports career, writing: “I don’t know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman in sport looks like.” Kramer also called the ad “infuriating” and criticized the use of sexualization to promote women in sport.

This is not the first time Sharon Stone has commented on a controversy involving Sydney Sweeney. In 2025, after Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign, which sparked debate on social media over the “good jeans” slogan, Stone had defended the young actress. “It’s okay to use what your mama gave you. It’s really okay,” Stone said at the time. She had added that every woman should feel free to use her beauty and confidence however she wants. The American Eagle campaign sparked extensive online discussion, while the company insisted the ad was about jeans and that “good jeans look good on everyone”.