Sydney Sweeney Wants "To Be A Young Mom" But She "Wouldn't Be Able To Afford" Life In LA If She Only Acted
It's easy to look at actors and think they have no financial troubles whatsoever, but "Euphoria" star Sydney Sweeney is opening up about the difficulties she has living in LA on an actor's income.
Sydney starred in two hit HBO shows, Euphoria and White Lotus, and she's currently shooting the Spider-Man spinoff movie called Madame Web. She has gained much recognition for her acting chops lately, and at just 24 years old, she has been nominated for two Emmy awards: supporting actress in a drama (Euphoria) and supporting actress in a limited series (White Lotus). But Sydney has plans in her life that are much bigger than acting. She wants to have kids someday soon, but she's concerned that her current income won't be enough to support her dream.
Sydney Sweeney Wants "To Be a Young Mom" but She Isn't "Able To Afford" Life in LA from Acting Alone
Growing up in a small town near Spokane, Washington, Sydney didn't have much during her childhood. “We lived in one room. My mom and I shared a bed, and my dad and little brother shared a couch," she told the Hollywood Reporter. Her parents split up, which only made things harder for her and the family.
“I thought that if I made enough money, I’d be able to buy my parents’ house back and that I’d be able to put my parents back together,” she said. “But when I turned 18, I only had $800 to my name. My parents weren’t back together, and there was nothing I could do to help.”
Today, her rising fame makes it seem like she has it all figured out financially, but she says things aren't as easy as they may seem. “If I wanted to take a six-month break, I don’t have income to cover that,” she says. “I don’t have someone supporting me, I don’t have anyone I can turn to, to pay my bills or call for help.”
Sydney says "they don't pay actors like they used to," and actors "no longer get residuals" with streaming services. She also shares that she has to give chunks of her paycheck away: "I have to give 5 percent to my lawyer, 10 percent to my agents, 3 percent or something like that to my business manager. I have to pay my publicist every month, and that’s more than my mortgage.”
She feels pressure to do as much press as possible in order to stay relevant with the younger generation, but unfortunately networks don't always cover things like stylist, hair and makeup artists, and travel, meaning it comes out of her pocket. This is why she started taking brand deals with names like Miu Miu and Armani.
“If I just acted, I wouldn’t be able to afford my life in LA. I take deals because I have to," she said.
One of the biggest reasons this is so concerning to Sydney is because she wants to expand her family soon. She's in a relationship with restaurateur Jonathan Davino but declines to confirm whether they're engaged yet. However, she makes it clear that she wants kids soon.
“I want to have a family, I’ve always wanted to be a young mom, and I’m worried about how this industry puts stigmas on young women who have children and looks at them in a different light,” she said. “I was worried that, if I don’t work, there is no money and no support for kids I would have.”
She bought the home she lives in now and expresses that she can't even believe she was able to make that purchase. "I want to be able to stay there," she said, adding that there are always paparazzi camped outside her home. But she's maintaining a busy filming schedule and continuing to take on more roles.