ANYONE BUT YOU Star Sydney Sweeney is WOMEN’S HEALTH December Cover Star!

Pin

Sydney Sweeney is making waves in Hollywood, but the 26-year-old ANYONE BUT YOU star feels most like herself when she’s on the water, whether waterskiing or spending time with family. And that connection with home flows into all aspects of her public life. A self-described workaholic, Sydney is her most natural happy self on the cover of WOMEN’S HEALTH’s December issue, opening up about her alter ego, ‘Lake Syd’ (“I grew up on the water”), reveling in a packed schedule (“I love the hecticness of it all”), and more. Plus, in her WOMEN’S HEALTH cover video, Sydney shares more about building confidence and her wellness must-haves.

Pin

Pin

On her love for slalom waterskiing: “The moment I could walk, my mom put me on what’s called a U-board to learn how to ski. I remember that whenever we would go by the docks of my grandma’s or my cousin’s house, I’d wave. I felt so cool because I could take off one hand. That’s my earliest memory of skiing, but I’ve been doing it as long as I can remember. It’s my favorite.”

On the physical benefits of slalom waterskiing: “It’s a lot of upper body strength, it’s balance, it’s core, it’s legs—you get tired really fast. I see such a change in my body after an entire summer of [skiing]. My arms are stronger, more sculpted. My abs are rock solid. But I never look at it as a workout because it is so much fun.”

On appreciating new challenges on the water and at work: “Whenever a new challenge presents itself and I’m not scared to push myself to try, that’s when I’m really proud of who I am. I know that my body can keep going—it’s more just that mental challenge to push myself through. I take that skill into skiing, into acting, into anything I do, because it’s always more mental than physical. Of course you have to train, but it’s mind over matter at the end of the day.”

On struggling with anxiety, particularly social anxiety: “Whenever it feels like the world’s so loud, and there’s so much going on, and I’m trying to balance it all—sometimes, it can feel overwhelming.”

On how her family sacrificed to support her dream: “I watched my parents lose a lot. We filed for bankruptcy, and they lost their house back home on the lake. [Sydney has since bought back her great-grandparents’ home on the same lake so she can return.] We couldn’t afford life in L.A. We couldn’t afford life anywhere. It was hard because they were supporting my dream, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I didn’t want to fail them. No matter how long it took, I was going to be in a TV show or a movie, and I wasn’t going to stop until something happened.”

On establishing friendships in Hollywood: “It’s hard to build meaningful relationships, so whenever I am able to feel that connection, I try to foster it. Like Maude [Apatow]—I look at her as my sister.”

On forging a tight bond with her Anyone But You co-star Glen Powell: “Getting to work with Glen, I’ll never forget this one… I hope the audience can actually feel the love and fun we all shared making this film. That’s something I always feel from my favorite rom-coms—the joy and energy shared amongst the cast and crew, and I was lucky enough to experience that on this film.”

On surrounding herself only with those who align with her core values—kindness and loyalty: “I truly believe that kindness is the most important attribute anybody can have, because whoever you see on your way up, you’re going to see on your way down. I try to be as loyal to my people as I can, and I hope they return the favor. I also love watching everyone succeed together.”

[Photo Credit: Dennis Leupold for Women’s Health Magazine]

• Dennis Leupold
• Editorials
• Magazines
• Sydney Sweeney
• Women’s Health