Baum, a longtime Hollywood producer and executive behind films including “Dead Ringers,” “Father of the Bride” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” made the disparaging comments about Sweeney during a discussion in Pleasantville, N.Y., with New York Times film critic Janet Maslin.

Sydney Sweeney with shoulder-length blonde hair in a white dress and layered necklaces, standing against a red and yellow background. Sydney Sweeney says it’s “disheartening” to see women in the film and TV industries angling to take each other down.

The actress and producer told Vanity Fair that the publicized movement of “women empowering other women” is all “fake.” Her comments arrive after veteran Hollywood producer Carol Baum questioned Sweeney’s appeal as a star earlier this year; Baum said Sweeney was “not pretty” and “can’t act.”