NEED TO KNOW
Sydney Sweeney has key advice to pass on to other young stars hoping to make it big in Hollywood.
“Honestly, do it as long as you love it,” the actress, 28, told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview at the New York City premiere of her new film, The Housemaid.
“You gotta love it a lot, because it’s really hard, and you’re going to be told ‘no’ more than you’re gonna be told ‘yes,’ ” Sweeney continued.
Added the Emmy and SAG Award nominee: “You have to deal with rejection, and it’s a lot. So if you love it to your core, then none of that matters because … you’re getting to do what you love.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Dia Dipasupil/Getty
Sweeney’s first acting credits came in 2009. She later went on to star in minor roles on major television series, including Grey’s Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars, before making a name for herself in the late 2010s.
Some of Sweeney’s star-making roles included parts in The Handmaid’s Tale, Sharp Objects and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, and she gained wider notoriety for her fan-favorite portrayal of Cassie Howard in Euphoria.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
More recently, Sweeney has starred in The White Lotus, Immaculate, Anyone but You, Madame Web and Christy, and she has production credits on various projects, including The Housemaid.
Her latest role, an adaptation of Freida McFadden’s 2022 psychological thriller, sees Sweeney star as a struggling young woman who eagerly accepts a job as a housemaid for a wealthy couple, played by Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar.
Eddy Chen/HBO; Black Bear Pictures; Brook Rushton/Sony Pictures
According to Sweeney, one part of trying to make it big in Hollywood stood out above the rest as a favorite for her.
“I loved auditioning, because I was getting to try out all these different characters,” she told PEOPLE.
“So I think if you’re a child actor and you wanna do it, you just gotta make sure you love it, Sweeney reiterated.
The Housemaid is in theaters on Dec. 19.
