Her character was also leagues apart from her earlier, largely “sexy” roles. Winner, with her hair messily tied up, make-up-free face and dressed in casual clothing, was peak-ordinary. Sweeney’s performance was hinged on her detailed prior research and carefully modulated facial expressions rather than her sex appeal or youthful energy.

She then went from whistleblower to sardonic love interest in the smash hit Anyone But You. Unlike Reality, this rom-com worked overtime to get its name out ahead of release, with Sweeney and co-star Glen Powell cleverly leaning into rumours of their real-life affair. Though the film was generally critically panned, it arguably breathed new life into the genre, largely thanks to the aforementioned rumours pulling hordes of rom-com fans back to cinemas.

It also became the most financially successful film in which Sweeney held a lead role, grossing over $328 million worldwide, and was the first rom-com to earn over US$100 million since Bridget Jones’ Baby in 2016. Notably, Sweeney executive produced the film under her production company Fifty-Fifty Films, which she launched in 2020.

Her next film was less of a smash hit and more of a crash. Sony’s Madame Web flopped at the box office, grossing just over $149 million globally. Sweeney’s decision to turn to the (rapidly crumbling) Marvel Universe may have dumbfounded some, but the actress has said it initiated her relationship with Sony, thereby helping her land Anyone But You, which is also distributed by Sony. Clearly, she knows how to play the Hollywood game.

Her most recent project – the upcoming horror film Immaculate, in which she plays an American nun who inexplicably becomes pregnant upon joining an Italian convent – allows her to play with the nunsploitation genre and body horror, as well as reclaim her seat at the producers’ table.

So, she’s been in TV and film, has traversed between horror, drama, rom-coms and superhero films, and has produced multiple projects. That’s not even mentioning her extracurricular work, such as her well-received stint on SNL and her ambassadorship of fashion and beauty companies like Kerastase, Laneige and Tony Burch. The hustle doesn’t end – Sweeney already has three productions lined up, including Echo Valley (which she’ll star in alongside Julianne Moore), the Ron Howard-directed film Eden and season three of Euphoria.

To a certain extent, every celebrity has to be a multi-hyphenate. Think Margot Robbie, who both acts and produces. Robbie’s stardom is obvious, but Sweeney’s range appears limitless, with a willingness to take risks and delve into the absurd (see the nun horror film).

Other actresses have climbed the Hollywood ranks since the 90s, including Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lawrence. Johansson began her film career at age nine (she starred in North in 1994), and Lawrence’s fame was largely elevated by well-known IP like X-Men and The Hunger Games. Those are probably the most recent comparisons to Sweeney, but the Anyone But You actress belongs to an even newer generation, being shaped by TikTok more than Hollywood studios.

Loading

Yet, Sweeney could be destined for the kind of fame enjoyed by hall-of-famers like Bette Davis or, more recently, Julia Roberts. Davis wasn’t afraid to get messy in films like What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and Dead Ringer. Similarly, Roberts famously traversed between rom-com Pretty Woman and psychological horror Flatliners in the same year (1990), while also co-producing many of her own films.

Like Sweeney, these women refused to be typecast, carving out space for themselves both in front of and behind the camera. But unlike Sweeney, they reached their peak when Hollywood was smaller and cinema still entertainment’s golden child. Sweeney herself has spoken of the competition in Hollywood, especially between actresses. And while actresses multiply, the number of people flocking to cinemas has dwindled since COVID-19, with many scrolling through 30-second videos on TikTok instead.

In such an uncertain environment, celebrities like Sweeney have no choice but to hustle and diversify, not necessarily to become the best, but to simply remain relevant. It just so happens that the hustle suits Sweeney better than others.

Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.