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Sydney Sweeney stunt scaling Hollywood sign and lacing it with bras could get her in legal trouble

January 27, 2026 | | Print Article

Buxom actress Sydney Sweeney may reportedly be in legal trouble over an advertising stunt she pulled a couple of days ago.

According to TMZ, which broke the story on Monday, she “snuck up” a Los Angeles mountain “a few days ago” so she could climb its giant Hollywood sign (the famous one you see everywhere) and cover it with bras from her new lingerie line, Syrn.

Below is video footage obtained by TMZ of Sweeney in action:

The problem is that while Sweeney sought out and received “a permit from FilmLA to shoot the Hollywood sign,” she didn’t obtain “permission to touch or climb the sign itself.”

The Los Angeles Times notes that the sign is managed by the Hollywood Sign Trust, and the sign itself is owned by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Neither agency gave Sweeney permission to film the sign.

“Anyone intending to use and/or access the Hollywood Sign for commercial purposes must obtain a license or permission from the Hollywood Chamber to do so,” the chamber’s chief, Steve Nissen, reportedly said in a statement.

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“The production involving Sydney Sweeney and the Hollywood Sign, as reported by TMZ, was not authorized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce nor did we have prior knowledge of it,” he continued.

Nissen added that the Chamber “did not grant a license or permission of any kind to the production … nor did anyone seek a license or permission from the Chamber for that production.”

Pressed on Monday by TMZ about whether they intend to file a police report, the Chamber demurred.

“We are still investigating how and under what authority (if any) the Sweeney production accessed the site of the Sign,” the Chamber said.

Some on social media have since alleged that Sweeney “faked” everything and that it was all part of “a marketing stunt,” meaning she “won’t be facing any charges.”

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The evidence suggests they may have a point.

The Independent notes that “[p]eople caught climbing or decorating the Hollywood sign are typically arrested at the scene.”

Why didn’t that happen with Sweeney?

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But there’s more.

“The sign also has remote surveillance cameras, eight-foot fencing, and motion censors to protect it,” according to the outlet.

And this: “The Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments, in addition to park rangers, typically monitor the area around the sign to stop tourists from wandering in.”

Yet Sweeney somehow managed to magically bypass all these safeguards? It seems quite unlikely.

All this comes months after Sweeney’s last controversy when she appeared in an American Eagle ad touting her “great jeans.” The ad triggered apoplectic rage from leftists who literally claimed it was Nazi propaganda:

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Sweeney rightly sidestepped the pseudo-controversy at the time by ignoring it. However, she later backed down to the mob and issued a groveling statement to People magazine in December.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together,” she said. “I’m against hate and divisiveness.”

“In the past, my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press, but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us,” she added.

Vivek Saxena
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