The head of the Hollywood Sign Trust says computer generated effects were used in a viral video that appeared to show actress Sydney Sweeney decorating the famous landmark with bras.
The clip, shared on Sweeney’s Instagram last week, quickly spread online. It showed the Euphoria star and a film crew near the Hollywood sign at night, placing dozens of bras over the large letters. The video aimed to promote her new lingerie brand.
However, officials now say the footage was not filmed with full permission and parts of it were digitally altered.
Claims of Digital Editing
Jeff Zarrinnam, who leads the Hollywood Sign Trust, says the final wide shots in the video could not have been filmed in real time.
He explains that climbing the 50 foot tall letters takes careful planning and several hours. Doing that work at night adds more risk and delay.
“There’s no way the sign could have been covered that fast,” he says. “They used CGI for that.”
Zarrinnam also disputes claims that Sweeney climbed the letter H. According to him, the footage shows her near the letter L instead.
“I know the sign very well,” he says. “Climbing the H would have been extremely dangerous.”
Filming Without Full Approval
Commercial filming near the Hollywood sign requires permits from several Los Angeles authorities.
Zarrinnam says Sweeney’s crew had permits to film in parts of the city and Griffith Park. However, they did not receive permission to enter the restricted area around the sign itself.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which controls image rights to the sign, also confirmed it did not approve the shoot.
Zarrinnam says he is investigating the incident and has not received a response from Sweeney or her production team.
Why Police Did Not Intervene
Many viewers questioned why police did not appear in the video. Motion sensors around the sign usually alert authorities when someone gets too close.
The Los Angeles Police Department later confirmed that no crime report was filed.
Zarrinnam says the sensors did trigger an alert. Nearby residents also contacted him. However, a miscommunication led officials to believe the crew had permission, so police never responded.
He adds that the actress herself may not have known about the permit issues.
“Sydney Sweeney probably wasn’t reading the paperwork,” he says. “That responsibility usually falls on the production team.”
