Actress Sydney Sweeney is opening 2026 with a bold new cover for the American fashion magazine W. Over the past year, Sweeney, 28, has cemented her status as one of Hollywood’s most talked-about and provocative stars through a daring denim campaign for American Eagle and revealing red carpet looks.
Now she appears fully nude on the new cover, her body “clothed” only in gold body paint and an oversized necklace by luxury jewelry brand Chopard. The overall look references classic Hollywood of the 1940s and 1950s, evoking icons such as Marilyn Monroe through its styling and hair, and continuing Sweeney’s ongoing flirtation with sexuality and nudity.
The new W cover is part of the magazine’s annual February actors issue, released each year during awards season. Alongside Sweeney, this year’s edition features Jacob Elordi, Elle Fanning, George Clooney, Emma Stone and others.
Sweeney’s cover was photographed by rising photographer Tyrone Lebon, who captured her in an artistic style resembling a golden Oscar statuette.
In the accompanying interview, Sweeney reflects on the past year, which included a range of demanding roles, among them her portrayal of a boxer in the film “Christy,” as well as her role in “The Housemaid,” which was recently released and received mixed reviews, to put it mildly.
That may help explain why she was left off this year’s list of Golden Globe nominations, with the ceremony set to take place next week, as well as other awards events scheduled in the near future.
Sweeney also shared personal and family details. She noted, for example, that her younger brother serves in the U.S. Air Force and is currently stationed in London. She also spoke about her fashion choices over the years and reflected on one particular regret.
“I’ve been wearing high heels for a very long time,” said Sweeney, who is 5 feet 3 inches tall. “When I was in middle school, I had a pair of Converse sneakers with platform heels because I loved sneakers but felt really short. They were an interesting choice, but not a good one. Sorry, Converse.”