Hollywood producer Carol Baum found herself at the center of controversy after blasting Sydney Sweeney's acting skills and appearance, having since backpedaled on her remarks while expressing remorse for her criticisms against the rising star.
Baum, who has over 34 films under her belt starring A-list talent, admitted that she shouldn't have made the original comments in hindsight — especially not on a public scale.
The producer shared her thoughts about Sweeney with New York Times film critic Janet Maslin before an audience of fans following a screening of her 1988 film Dead Ringers, describing the star's new romantic comedy, Anyone But You, as "unwatchable."
Baum addressed the class she teaches at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and shared, 'I said to my class, 'Explain this girl to me. She's not pretty, she can't act. Why is she so hot?'''
"Nobody had an answer but then the question was asked, 'Well if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it?'"
"I said, 'Well that's a really good question' … that's a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made."
The producer whose films include Father of the Bride and Buffy the Vampire Slayer said she has been receiving immense hate mail over the whole ordeal.
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"How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman," a rep for the Euphoria actress said in a statement obtained by RadarOnline.com. "If tearing down another woman is what Carol has learned during her decades in the business, and she feels it appropriate to pass that on to her students, then that's truly shameful. To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms Baum's character."
Producer Teddy Schwarzman, who worked with Sweeney on the horror flick Immaculate, rushed to the star's defense after Baum made headlines and highlighted that she is a two-time Emmy nominee with a bright future ahead, calling her beautiful inside and out.
Schwarzman described the actress as not only one of the "most talented" he's crossed paths with, but also "incredibly smart, kind and humble."