In response, Sweeney expressed her disappointment, "How sad that a woman in a position to share her expertise and experience chose instead to attack another woman."
Her representative conveyed this sentiment to E! News highlighting the impact of Baum's remarks on industry culture.
Baum's comments came during a discussion with the audience after a screening of the 1988 film 'Dead Bells'.
He described Sweeney as "not beautiful" and questioned the hype surrounding her, claiming she "can't act", E! News.
Baum even brought up Sweeney's 2023 romantic comedy 'Nobody But You' and found it "unwatchable".
Despite efforts to clarify the intent behind his remarks, including by New York Times film critic Janet Maslin, who moderated the conversation, the backlash against Baum has been significant.
Others in the industry, such as producer Teddy Schwarzman, also came to Sweeney's defense, praising his talent and character.
In a previous interview, Sweeney acknowledged the challenges of dealing with such criticism but emphasized the importance of staying true to oneself despite the pressure of fame.
