"Americana," co-starring Paul Walter Hauser, Sydney Sweeney and Halsey, opens in theaters Friday, Aug. 15. INDIANAPOLIS — A modern-day noir Western unfolds in writer/director Tony Tost's feature film debut called "Americana."

Sweeney, who broke out for her role as Cassie Howard on HBO's Euphoria, first courted controversy in 2023 after photos emerged from her mother's 60th birthday featuring red MAGA-inspired hats. "There were so many misinterpretations," she said of the photos that year. "The people in the pictures weren't even my family."

Sweeney stars as Penny Jo, a South Dakota diner waitress with an appealing smile, an ingratiating stammer, a scarf in her hair, and deep reserves of ruthless ambition.