Sydney Sweeney fools LA locals by going undercover in a brunette wig to hang out at iconic Santa Monica Pier

Hollywood starlet Sydney Sweeney got to feel like a 'regular girl' for a day as she went incognito to visit a popular landmark in Los Angeles this week.

On Wednesday, the 29-year-old actress took to Instagram to share photos of herself and her 'bestie' Jayde Hafner visiting the Santa Monica Pier.

But in order to go unrecognized walking around the tourist trap, Sweeney covered up her signature blonde hair with a brunette wig.

In the caption of her post, Sweeney revealed that it was Hafner's idea to disguise themselves with wigs for the day.

'when ur bestie shows up and says “here put this wig on"' she wrote, followed by a crying-laughing emoji and a heart-eyes emoji.

Wearing her fake dark brown locks, Sweeney was able to pose for photos in front of the pier's iconic Ferris wheel as well as ride a roller coaster and hit up an oceanside arcade.

Instead of her typical designer threads, the Euphoria star kept comfortable in an oversized 'Santa Monica' T-shirt, cut-off jean shorts and sneakers.

Sweeney's wholesome Santa Monica Pier visit comes amid the hype - and backlash - around her viral topless commercial for the sports trading app Novig.

A new version of the ad was released earlier this week that showed her stripping down to just her Novig underwear. 

With strands of her long blonde hair partly covering her famous chest, Sweeney called out what other prediction markets are doing. 

'There are grown men making spreadsheets to bet on what color underwear I'm wearing. I mean, I'm flattered,' Sweeney began with a lift of her brows.

'There is insider trading on dictators dying and armies of bots manipulating it all.

'There's someone sitting in a bathroom stall betting their 401k on a war,' she continued.

'And then, there are people who just trade on sports. Novig is just sports,' added Sweeney.

Novig was founded in 2021 by Jacob Fortinsky and Kelechi Ukah and completed its transition into a sports-exclusive prediction market platform in August of this year. 

Sweeney's first ad for Novig's Just Sports campaign dropped on September 9, showing the actress posing naked with strategically positioned footballs, basketballs, tennis equipment, hockey gear and other sporting props.

Her relationship with the company goes beyond a conventional endorsement.

She holds equity in Novig and was involved in developing the campaign, although the size of her stake has not been disclosed, as reported by Front Office Sports.

Sweeney explained the idea behind the advert in a statement released when the campaign launched.

'The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor and a playful edge,' she said, per Forbes.

The campaign generated millions of views across social media after its release and attracted criticism from users who objected to its imagery.

Sweeney has not issued a formal statement to those comments, but she has appeared to respond indirectly through cryptic Instagram Stories.

Sweeney has previously spoken about the public discussion over her appearance and the scrutiny she has faced during her rise to fame.

'I see it, and I just can't allow myself to have a reaction,' she told Variety in 2024.

'I don't know how to explain it. I'm still trying to figure it out myself. People feel connected and free to be able to speak about me in whatever way they want because they believe that I've signed my life away.

'It's this weird relationship that people have with me that I have no control or say over,' she added.

Sweeney hit the Hollywood scene with her star-making role as Cassie Howard in HBO's Euphoria, the Sam Levinson-created drama starring Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie and Maude Apatow.

The series ended earlier this year after its third season, with HBO confirming the May finale would also serve as the program's final episode.

Sweeney's portrayal of Cassie earned her an Emmy nomination and frequently placed her character's appearance and relationships at the center of the show's storylines. 

Her love life continues to fuel interest as well. She has been dating businessman and former talent manager Scooter Braun for over a year.

They first connected at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding in Venice, Italy, in summer 2025, and began dating shortly afterwards.