Sydney Sweeney's Home Alone-inspired Syrn holiday ads draw fans — and backlash over child characters

Sydney Sweeney launched her Syrn brand's holiday campaign with a pair of Instagram videos that lean hard into Christmas nostalgia — recreating the aftershave scream from 'Home Alone,' eating a towering ice cream sundae Kevin McCallister-style, and channeling Cindy Lou Who from 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas.' The campaign quickly split viewers between those charmed by the references and those who called it 'disgusting' for dressing an adult lingerie model as characters who were children in the original films.

The first video, posted on October 21, opens with Sweeney sitting in an upholstered chair in a white sweater and socks, eating ice cream from a large bowl and switching on the TV — a direct nod to Kevin McCallister's unsupervised home life in the 1990 comedy. She then appears on the television screen itself, dressed as Cindy Lou Who with braided pigtails pinned high above her head, a fuzzy fur-trimmed cape, shorts, and a cleavage-baring top. The clip moves through additional looks channeling characters from 'The Corpse Bride' and 'White Christmas,' with Sweeney cutting between the armchair and posing in lace lingerie sets on screen.

A second video, promoting the 'Hibernation Nation' loungewear collection, pushed the 'Home Alone' references further. Sweeney stood before a bathroom mirror in a plunging navy blue top under a cropped cardigan, splashed liquid on her face, then pressed both hands to her cheeks in a dramatic scream — the aftershave moment. Dressed in a burgundy loungewear set and cradling a small white dog, she widened her eyes as a shadowy figure emerged behind a curtain. The brand's caption for the post read: 'The Holiday Shop is officially open ♥️ Shop Hibernation Nation early access NOW.'

Fan response in the comments was largely enthusiastic. One viewer wrote that they had only just caught the film reference, expressing surprise with a startled emoji. A second commenter joked about who could possibly leave Sweeney alone at Christmas. Others zeroed in on the clothing, with one fan calling her 'so pretty' and declaring strong desire for the set.

But the first video drew pointed criticism. According to the Daily Beast, Macaulay Culkin was nine when he took on the role of Kevin McCallister, and Taylor Momsen was seven when she appeared as Cindy Lou Who in the 2000 live-action adaptation. One commenter reminded readers that Cindy Lou Who is a child, writing, 'Cindy Lou is a child come on.' Another said simply, 'Hey so those are children!' Some defenders noted that Sweeney was not wearing lingerie during the scenes where she portrayed those characters — the lingerie appeared separately, in the television-within-the-video framing.

The campaign is structured around four capsule collections — 'Comfy,' 'Seductress,' 'Playful,' and 'Romantic' — with Comfy styles available first on October 27, according to Page Six. The 'Hibernation Nation' collection sits within that cozy tier. Syrn also posted still campaign photos to its Instagram to showcase individual looks more clearly.

Sweeney launched Syrn in January, describing the brand in a Cosmopolitan interview as a response to her own early experiences shopping for lingerie. Recounting her first wire-bra purchase, she told the magazine: 'In sixth grade, I was a 32 DD, and I remember going to the store to get my first wire bra.' The bra, she explained, was silk and the only one she felt comfortable in — one she wore until it developed holes. She said she eventually brought that bra into the Syrn office as a reference point for the comfort she wanted to create. On the subject of sizing, she told the magazine: 'My models are a beautiful range of body types,' adding that she always wants to see designs on every body type and does not want to be the only model.

If I wouldn't wear it, I wouldn't want to make it.— Sydney Sweeney, founder of Syrn

The holiday campaign is not the first Sweeney ad to generate controversy. According to the Daily Beast, she previously faced criticism over a campaign for sports trading app Novig in which she appeared nude with strategically placed sports equipment, with critics arguing the images sexualized women's sports. Sweeney responded by posting a second topless ad for the same brand.

Why it matters — The campaign illustrates how celebrity-founded brands use pop-culture nostalgia to drive attention — and how quickly that strategy can generate backlash when the source material involves children's characters.

Sources differ on Whether the campaign 'sexualizes' child characters: Critics say using child film characters in a lingerie ad is 'disgusting' regardless of what Sweeney wears in those specific scenes. (thedailybeast.com) vs Defenders note Sweeney wore non-lingerie outfits while portraying the child characters; lingerie appeared in separate, framed segments. (thedailybeast.com)

Reported by foxnews.com, nytimespost.com, pagesix.com, thedailybeast.com