Sharon Stone Urges Sydney Sweeney to 'Take Responsibility' for Betting Ad Controversy

Actress Sharon Stone has stated that Sydney Sweeney should "take responsibility" for her role in a controversial nude sports betting advertisement that drew criticism from prominent athletes. Sweeney recently appeared in a promotional campaign for the sports betting platform Novig, which led to accusations that she was denigrating and sexualizing women's sports.

Stone, who previously starred with Sweeney in the HBO series "Euphoria," shared her perspective at an event in Los Angeles. "I think that it’s up to [Sweeney] to take responsibility for her actions, not up to me to judge her for her actions," Stone told People. "It is up to me to be a cheerleader for the women who have made it through and become champions in women’s sports."

Stone emphasized that the focus of women's sports should not be on attracting male attention. "We can’t denigrate women’s sports to get men’s attention so they can gamble," she said.

Sweeney's advertisement for Novig featured her nearly nude, partially covered by sports equipment, with the tagline "Just for sport." The ad generated significant backlash within the athletic community, including from Olympic athletes like water polo player Tilly Kearns, boxer Skye Nicolson, and swimmer Ariarne Titmus.

Titmus expressed her frustration on Instagram, calling the ad "a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is — teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, unity."

In response to the criticism, Sweeney shared past provocative advertisements and magazine covers featuring well-known female athletes, such as Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey. Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky also addressed the controversy, stating that the platform is supportive of women's sports and that the campaign was not intended to portray female sports itself. "Sydney is an actress, the biggest movie star in the world. We’re a prediction market focused on sports. That is the story she was communicating," Fortinsky said.

This is not the first time Stone has commented on Sweeney's public image. Last year, she defended Sweeney amid criticism for an American Eagle jeans ad, stating, "it’s okay to use what mama gave you."