Amanda Seyfried’s The Housemaid advice to fans is clear: watch the movie before reading the book. Ahead of the film’s release, the 40-year-old actress urged audiences to avoid the source material until after seeing the adaptation. “Do not read it until you’ve seen the movie,” Seyfried said, explaining that reading the novel first could spoil the film’s major twists.
Why Seyfried Says Watching First Matters
Seyfried recalled attending a screening of The Housemaid a few months ago with a friend who hadn’t read the book and had “no idea” what was coming, even while trying to predict certain plot turns.
“That’s exactly the experience we want,” Seyfried explained. She also pointed to the timing of the release, adding, “This is exactly what we needed, especially around the holidays. Do you know what I mean?”
Amanda Seyfried Talks Freida McFadden’s Support for ‘The Housemaid’ Movie
The Housemaid, adapted from Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel of the same name, features Amanda Seyfried as Nina Winchester, a woman who brings Millie (Sydney Sweeney) into her home as a live-in housekeeper. It doesn’t take long for Millie to realize that the polished, picture-perfect household she’s been hired to care for is far more unsettling than it first appears.
Earlier this week, Seyfried shared on the Bookmarked podcast that McFadden was actively supportive throughout the filmmaking process as the story transitioned from page to screen.
“We felt empowered because we had her blessing,” Seyfried said during the Tuesday, December 16, episode, adding that director Paul Feig also played a key role in shaping the adaptation. “You know, this movie is going to be special and surprising, even for the book lover. I almost feel like I need to read the book again.”
Amanda Seyfried Calls ‘The Housemaid’ Her Most Enjoyable Role Yet
Amanda Seyfried admitted that she didn’t fully immerse herself in The Housemaid universe — which includes three novels and a novella — until she was officially cast as Nina. Still, she described reading the script as a “privilege,” noting that the role was unlike anything she had taken on before.
Calling it the most enjoyable performance of her career, Seyfried suggested the experience may be hard to top anytime soon. “It is the most fun role I’ve ever played, and it’s probably not gonna happen for a long time,” she said. Carefully avoiding spoilers, she added that she’s “playing somebody who’s playing somebody.”
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Seyfried also praised director Paul Feig for giving her the creative freedom to stretch beyond her comfort zone. “I got to explore rage in a way that I never had — very therapeutic — and watching it back, necessary,” she shared.
Amanda Seyfried Explains the Emotional Core of ‘The Housemaid’
Amanda Seyfried described the overall experience of making The Housemaid as deeply “therapeutic,” explaining that the role allowed her to tap into personal fears and transform them into performance.
“I channeled one of my fears in life,” Seyfried said, referencing her discomfort around people who can be unpredictable or emotionally inconsistent. “One of the things that I really struggle with when I’m with people — working with people, or having to be near people — who are unpredictable and hot and cold. This is who Nina is when you meet her.” She added that it was both challenging and rewarding to lean into those emotions. “It was really, really fun and interesting to channel what I fear most. Try to find the scariest pieces of that and portray them.”
When breaking down her connection to Nina, Seyfried said she honed in on one defining aspect of the character. “Obviously, I have to relate to a lot of things, but I think I relate to the fact that she’s just had enough,” she explained. “She has to play one last part in order to find her destiny.”
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