All About Sydney Sweeney's Parents, Steven and Lisa Sweeney

Sydney Sweeney’s parents stay out of the spotlight.

The Euphoria actress, who was born in Spokane, Washington, and then raised in Idaho, is the daughter of former attorney Lisa Sweeney and hospitality worker Steven Sweeney. The couple divorced as Sydney began skyrocketing to fame, and Steven now lives on a remote ranch in Mexico.

Despite their unfamiliarity with Hollywood (and their early skepticism of Sydney’s career in acting), both Lisa and Steven remain supportive of their daughter.

"When I go home my family doesn't understand me or the world I'm in anymore," Sydney told British GQ in November 2022. "But then in this industry, my home and the place that grounds me is so vastly different to how people live there. I'm in this in-between place where I feel like neither side understands me."

Here’s what to know about Sydney Sweeney’s parents, Lisa and Steven Sweeney.

They are not in show business

Unlike many of today’s stars, Sydney’s parents had no prior connection to Hollywood. Lisa was a criminal defense attorney and Steven works in hospitality.

“He lives on a ranch in Mexico, and doesn’t have internet or cell service,” Sydney told Variety of her dad in August 2023. “I know he’s proud of me, and I know he’s like, ‘Wow, this is a crazy world!’ ”

The actress also explained that after she and her younger brother were born, Lisa left her career in law because she “could not come home to two little babies and be mentally okay.”

She continued, “My mom grew up with barely anything. She got her GED when she was 16; she worked five jobs to put herself through school; she took care of her brothers; she takes care of everyone. It’s unbelievable seeing where she came from, and being able to show her this world now.”

They have two children together

Steven and Lisa share two children together: Sydney, born Sept. 12, 1997, and a son named Trent. It’s not known exactly how old Trent is, but the actress has spoken about being the oldest sibling.

In addition to minor acting gigs as a child, Trent is also a Twitch streamer and has an active Instagram account.

Sydney had to convince her parents to let her pursue acting

Though they’re now supportive of her career, Sydney said that growing up, she had to convince her parents to let her pursue acting. At age 11, the actress put together a slideshow presentation containing a multi-year plan for success.

"My parents thought I was wanting to be a princess, that it wasn't real. You couldn't touch it. I was from a smaller town,” the star told Jimmy Fallon during a May 2022 appearance on The Tonight Show. "So, I put together a five-year business plan presentation about what could happen if they let me."

Sydney’s parents eventually agreed, though it did take her longer than five years to reach her goals.

"It was a little harder than I imagined," Sydney confessed, adding that acting is "not as glamorous as you think it is."

They divorced amid Sydney’s rise to fame

In her August 2023 Variety interview, Sydney opened up about her parents’ split. As the actress was booking larger roles in series like The Handmaid’s Tale and Sharp Objects, Steven and Lisa divorced and filed for bankruptcy.

“My parents sacrificed so much to support my dream, and they lost so much during it,” she said. "I just felt a responsibility to show them that it was worth it."

When asked if she thought these sacrifices contributed to her parents’ divorce, Sydney replied, “I’ll never know. I think as a kid, as the eldest, I feel a responsibility. They’ll say no, or they’ll say yes, depending on what fight it is. But I’ll always feel responsible. But that’s okay.”

Steven walked out the first time he watched Sydney in Euphoria

Understandably, Steven was pretty uncomfortable watching his daughter’s explicit scenes in HBO’s Euphoria.

During a June 2023 interview with Sunday Today, the actress revealed that her dad and grandfather weren’t properly “prepared” to see her on the gritty teen drama, which often features nudity and sexual content, and they both “walked out” the first time they watched.

“My mom visited me on set quite a few times, so she knew the story,” Sydney said. “My dad didn’t. I didn't prepare my dad at all. ... So he decided he was going to watch it without telling me, with his parents."

“My dad and my grandpa turned it off and walked out,” she added.

Lisa’s 60th birthday party sparked controversy online

After throwing a surprise hoedown-themed party in Idaho for her mom's 60th birthday in August 2022, photos from the event caused backlash on social media. In one since-deleted image shared by Sydney, one relative appeared to be wearing a “Blue Lives Matter” T-shirt.

Her brother Trent also shared photos that showed guests wearing parody MAGA hats, printed with: "Make Sixty Great Again."

Sydney responded to the criticism on X (formerly Twitter) saying, "You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my mom's milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone and Happy Birthday Mom!"

In November, the actress told British GQ, “Honestly I feel like nothing I say can help the conversation. It's been turning into a wildfire and nothing I can say will take it back to the correct track."

Lisa supports Sydney on social media

Lisa doesn’t post on social media often, but when she does, it’s mainly to show support for her superstar daughter.

In January 2023, she proudly shared a snap of Sydney’s Armani Beauty campaign displayed at an airport in New York City, captioning the image, “Found Syd at JFK!”

A few months later, Lisa posted a photo of one of Sydney’s magazine covers, writing, “Checked into hotel to find this! ❤️.”

Sydney paid off Lisa's mortgage

In March 2024, Sydney told WhoWhatWear that she had "always dreamt of being able to take care of [her] parents" and now, she is able to start doing just that.

"I recently paid off my mom's mortgage," she said.

Sydney also said that she tries to spend as much time with her family as much as possible, adding, "I try to incorporate them into my life as much as possible, whether it's talking with my cousins every other day or going home."