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Credit: HBOAnyone deeply entrenched in the overlapping worlds of theme parks and Hollywood gossip will tell you that the hottest debate over the past few weeks has been this: was Sydney Sweeney ever actually a Tour Guide at Universal Studios Hollywood?
Finally, there’s an update on the nichest question of the hour – but for anyone who doesn’t fall into that niche, here’s a little bit of background.
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The actress – best known for her work in HBO’s Euphoria and the romantic comedy Anyone But You (2024) – claimed on her press tour for the latter that she once worked as a Tour Guide for the Los Angeles theme park’s iconic backstage tour, taking guests through the sets of iconic projects such as Back to the Future (1985) and Desperate Housewives.
In a profile for Women’s Health, it was said that Sweeney “babysat, cleaned restaurant bathrooms, and led tours at Universal Studios” to help her family pay the bills as a teenager. While appearing on Hot Ones, Sweeney skipped over a question from host Sean Evans about her time working at the park, and instead detailed how she paid all of her own bills and worked there “for a little bit.”
But multiple Universal Tour Guides – both past and present – weren’t convinced. Taking to TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Instagram, they argued that being a Tour Guide isn’t just a summer job. Some Universal team members spend years trying to secure a position on the tour, and considering the amount of auditions and training required to even be in with a shot of making the cut, Sweeney’s claims of working there “for a little bit” didn’t seem possible.
“Tour guide here!” one Universal team member said. “She was never a tour guide; we fact-checked. But thanks for the shout-out, Sydney!”
So, is she lying? Well, it turns out maybe not (but the truth may have been warped somewhat). The Hollywood Reporter conducted its own investigation into the matter and found that yes, Sweeney did work at Universal Studios Hollywood. She was reportedly hired on June 12, 2016, but left on July 18, 2016, after getting an acting job.
What isn’t clear is the role she actually took for a month at the park. The Hollywood Reporter’s investigation doesn’t clarify whether Sweeney worked as a Tour Guide – which, considering the number of alumni and current guides who argue otherwise, and the fact that nobody has come forward remembering her from the role, still seems pretty unrealistic. However, at least we now know for certain that Sweeney is in fact a Universal graduate – even if her time at the park was short.
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Sweeney is next set to star alongside Dakota Johnson as Julia Carpenter (AKA Spider-Woman) in Madame Web (2024), the latest installment in Sony Pictures’ Marvel Spiderverse. Madame Web hits theaters on February 14, 2024.
Inside the Magic reached out to Universal Studios Hollywood for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Have you ever worked as a Universal Studios Hollywood Tour Guide? Share your story with us in the comments!