Sydney Sweeney posts brunette wig photos amid Novig ad backlash

Sydney Sweeney shared a series of photos on Wednesday showing her wearing a brunette wig while visiting the Santa Monica pier with a friend. The post, captioned "When ur bestie shows up and says 'here put this wig on'," featured the actress in a new look that prompted some social media users to say they did not recognize her. One Instagram user wrote, "I didn't even recognise her," while another commented, "I like this brunette version."

The appearance follows ongoing criticism of Sweeney's advertisements for the sports betting platform Novig. Critics, including female athletes, have accused the company of sexualizing women in sports. In the original commercial, Sweeney appeared nearly nude posing with sports equipment while stating the platform was "just sports." Swimmer Ariarne Titmus described the campaign as a "kick in the face" to women who have devoted their lives to sports. Gymnast Gracie Kramer accused the ad of marketing women's sports "through the male gaze," and British sprinter Amy Hunt said the campaign offered an inaccurate picture of what women in sports look like.

Sweeney previously responded to the backlash by sharing images of athletes such as Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Caroline Wozniacki, who had posed nude for ESPN's Body Issue. On Sunday, Sweeney released a new commercial for Novig in which she wears only white underwear while covering herself with footballs. In the ad, she says, "There are grown men making spreadsheets to bet on what color underwear I'm wearing," before adding, "I mean, I'm flattered?" The commercial concludes with her joke about someone betting their 401(k) on a war and the tagline, "Novig is … just sports."