Mystery solved: ‘The Housemaid’ author reveals true identity
The author behind the hit novel, The Housemaid, which was turned into a movie starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, has revealed her identity.
To protect her privacy, her literary career has seen her adopt the pen name of Frieda McFadden, but after more than a decade of using the pseudonym, she’s finally ready to share who she really is.
McFadden is actually Sara Cohen, who is a specialist doctor that treats patients with brain disorders, which explains why she wanted to keep the two distinctly different parts of her life separate.
The novelist, who has released four books in her The Housemaid series alone, explained why now was the right time to put speculation about her identity to a permanent end, telling USA Today, “I’m at a point in my career when I’m tired of this being a secret. I’m tired of people debating if I’m a real person or if I’m three men.”
Cohen continued, “I am a real person and I have a real identity and I don’t have anything to hide.”
She then clarified why she chose a pen name rather in the first place, explaining, “My whole goal was to keep it a secret until I was (ready to) step back from my doctor job, so it wouldn’t be like everyone I work with suddenly knew and it compromised my ability to do my job.”
Cohen first stepped back from working full-time as a doctor in late 2023 and is now “only working like once or twice a month”, which means there is no longer the same level of conflict of interest.
The best-selling writer also admitted to feeling “completely overwhelmed” by trying to balance the two careers simultaneously.
However, Cohen insisted, “Even though I haven’t told my real name until now, I feel like I have shared the real me all along and everything I’ve told them has been the truth.”
Her decision to reveal her identity comes after The Housemaid, directed by Paul Feig, was a huge box office hit, grossing more than ten times its budget. As a result, it has since been greenlit for a sequel at Lionsgate.
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