Who is Sydney Chandler? Kyle Chandler’s daughter speaks out following photo shoot controversy

American actress and the daughter of renowned actor Kyle Chandler, Sydney Chandler, has recently landed herself in a controversy regarding a cover photo shoot for Variety. The 29-year-old Sydney Chandler, who plays a pivotal role in the brand-new FX original series Alien: Earth, which was released on August 12, 2025, was supposed to appear for a photo shoot for Variety along with her co-star, Timothy Olyphant, and the creator of the show and producer Noah Hawley in July 2025, as shared by writer Daniel D'Addario in Variety.

According to People, Sydney Chandler found herself in a bit of a pickle with Variety when she allegedly declined to participate in an on-camera game, which is usually considered a standard part of cover photo shoots. It was a game of "How Well Do They Know Each Other?" that worried Sydney, as per Variety. Following a discussion between Sydney's team and Variety, D'Addario stated that:

She (Sydney Chandler) “decided a game on video wasn’t something she felt comfortable doing at all.”

D'Addario further added:

"Now, on the morning of the shoot, after some convincing from her agent, we hear she will come. Then Chandler decides, after all that — never mind, she can’t make it."

According to IMDb, the daughter of Friday Night Lights alum Kyle Chandler and screenwriter Kathryn Chandler, Sydney is not only an actress but also a writer. Born on February 13, 1996, in Texas, Sydney made her movie debut in Olivia Wilde's psychological thriller, Don't Worry Darling, in 2022, alongside Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Chris Pine. Some of her other acting credits include Sugar, Pistol, The Golden Rut, and Coercion.

Sydney Chandler opens up about her Variety photo shoot controversy

Sydney Chandler, unable to participate in the Variety cover photo shoot, spoke with Entertainment Weekly, expressing her disappointment with the situation and stating that she had wanted to attend the shoot. The actress said:

"It was really unfortunate. Again, new to this; I haven't done something like that before. I felt uncomfortable doing something like that. Unfortunately, I was uninvited from the rest of the shoot. I never meant to offend."

Sydney confessed that she is still in the process of learning and understanding how the entertainment industry functions. She explained by saying:

"It's such a nebulous industry to try and explain to people who aren't on the ground in it."

Following Sydney's claims, a spokesperson from Variety informed Entertainment Weekly:

"Variety invited Sydney on our cover to celebrate her performance in Alien: Earth. We were clear from the start that our offer included video, and we continued to negotiate with her team through the morning of the shoot to see if she would participate."

While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Sydney Chandler discussed finding an equilibrium between her personal and professional life. She said:

"I'm figuring this world out. I'm figuring out how much of my personal self I need to give, I want to give, I feel comfortable giving. It's a really personal journey."

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Sydney further added:

"So I'm learning a heck of a lot on this press tour. Once this is completed, I'll have a bit of a foundation and be able to go from there."

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