Exclusive: Lionsgate has secured Sydney Sweeney for the lead role in “The Housemaid,” a thriller based on the bestselling novel by Freida McFadden. The studio is also in final negotiations with Amanda Seyfried to join the cast. Paul Feig, known for his work on “A Simple Favor,” will direct the film.
Image Source: Screenshot from The Housemaid Official Instagram Account
The screenplay for “The Housemaid” is adapted by Rebecca Sonnenshine. Hidden Pictures’ Todd Lieberman will produce, with Carly Kleinbart Elter overseeing the project. Feigco’s Feig and Laura Fischer are also producing. Sweeney and Seyfried will serve as executive producers alongside Alex Young and McFadden.
In the film, Sweeney will play Millie, a struggling woman who takes a job as a housemaid for a wealthy couple, Nina and Andrew. She soon discovers that the family’s secrets are far more dangerous than her own.
“I’m thrilled to have ‘The Housemaid’ join our upcoming slate,” said Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. “A great filmmaker and a great cast with a great script from a great book is a terrific place to start. My prior work experiences with Paul and Amanda have been nothing short of spectacular, and Sydney is as talented and compelling as can be.”
The novel has been a bestseller on both the New York Times and Amazon lists, with over 3.6 million copies sold in English and translations in 40 languages.
“Part of the fun of the book was imagining the cast while we read it, and Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried are perfect for Millie and Nina – they’re both mysterious, nuanced, and incredibly skilled at becoming characters who don’t reveal everything right away,” said Erin Westerman, co-president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. “We’re thrilled to team them with Paul Feig, who we worked with on ‘A Simple Favor’ and its upcoming sequel and has a proven track record of developing stories with dynamic female leads.”
Chelsea Kujawa and Erin Jones-Wesley are overseeing the project for Lionsgate. Robert Melnik negotiated the deals for the studio.
Sweeney is best known for her Emmy-nominated work on “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus.” She recently starred in the films “Anyone But You” and “Immaculate.” Seyfried is coming off her Emmy-winning role in the Hulu series “The Dropout.”
Feig just directed and produced the Amazon film “Jackpot!” His next film as a director and producer (Feigco) releases in Spring 2025 for Amazon and Lionsgate with “A Simple Favor 2.”
McFadden is represented by Christina Hogrebe of Jane Rotrosen Agency, Angela Cheng Caplan of Cheng Caplan Company, and Allison Binder of Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson + Christopher. Sonnenshine is repped by Circle Management + Production and UTA.
