It's not clear if Lauren Sanchez and Sydney Sweeney ever met in Hollywood, but the two well-known women could have met for coffee or a spa day to exchange advice on dealing with critics who recently gained attention on social media by insulting them or criticizing their appearance and skills.
Both women confronted prominent critics who made headlines this week. Sanchez did this by posting a somewhat indirect comment about leading 'with kindness' on Instagram Story, seemingly dismissing insults from the outspoken New York City restaurateur Keith McNally, according to Page Six.
Out of nowhere, McNally, owner of celebrity hotspot Balthazar, remarked on Instagram that the former L.A. TV news personality was 'absolutely revolting' and criticized her and her fiancé, multi-billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, as 'an ugly and (expletive) smug-looking couple.'
Sanchez also appeared to respond to McNally with a post sharing an image and the message, 'People will love you. People will hate you. And none of it will have anything to do with you.'
Meanwhile, Sweeney, star of the recent popular rom-com 'Anyone But You,' was discussed at a classic film screening outside New York last week. Veteran film producer Carol Baum was honored guest and criticized Sweeney during an on-stage interview with New York Times film critic Janet Maslin. News of Baum's comments was reported this week by the Daily Mail and other outlets.
“There’s an actress who everybody loves now: Sydney Sweeney,” Baum said about the 26-year-old up-and-coming star. “I don’t get Sydney Sweeney.”
Baum revealed she watched 'Anyone But You' on her flight to New York to understand 'why everybody’s talking about her.' The producer, known for 'Father of the Bride,' 'Shining Through,' and 'Dead Ringers,' the 1988 film presented at the screening, called 'Anyone But You' 'unwatchable.'
Baum discussed the Sweeney phenomenon with her class at the University of Southern California: “I said to my class, ‘Explain this girl to me. She’s not pretty, she can’t act. Why is she so hot?’” Baum said: “Nobody had an answer.”
In response, Sweeney had her publicist release a statement, condemning the actions of a female industry professional who chose “to attack another woman,” Page Six reported.
The star's representative also added, “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.
Fans of Sweeney and Sanchez also came to their defense this week.
“Carol Baum is jealous of Sydney Sweeney’s appearance and popularity, two things Baum never possessed,” one person posted on X, Page Six reported. Another person stated that Sweeney had been nominated for two Emmy awards for her work on “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus” and has starred in movies and served as a producer at the age of 26. This person also mentioned, “Carol Baum, who has not had any relevant achievements in her career for 30 years, should refrain from commenting.”
Regarding Sanchez, she received support from other well-known women, including Chrissy Teigen, Jessica Seinfeld, the wife of Jerry Seinfeld, and MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle. Jessica Seinfeld stated that McNally’s post “reflects his twisted, pitiful, and hideous mindset.
Ruhle remarked: “Social media can be entertaining, but this is just plain cruel. It serves no purpose. If we all took a moment to consider how it feels to be ridiculed and mocked, we would engage in such behavior a lot less.”
