The Housemaid author Freida McFadden is finally revealing her true identity after keeping it under wraps for 23 years.
“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,” McFadden told USA Today in an interview published on Wednesday, April 8. “I am a real person and I have a real identity and I don’t have anything to hide.”
The author has released domestic thrillers for more than two decades while using a wig and glasses to help hide who she really is. Now, with the release of last year’s The Housemaid film, starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, she’s revealing that she is actually Sara Cohen, a doctor who treats brain disorders.
“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,” McFadden told USA Today on Wednesday. “But I have stepped away from my job. I’m only working like once or twice a month.”
Amanda Seyfried Says Don’t Read ‘The Housemaid’ Until After Seeing the Movie
McFadden revealed that she actually does wear glasses in her normal life and opted for the wig because she has “no idea” how to style her hair. She noted that many of her patients have been fans of her novels but didn’t realize she was the author, and that her coworkers have been “really nice” about keeping it all a secret.
Now, however, double duty is beginning to wear on her. “I just realized I was completely overwhelmed from trying to do both,” she explained.
While her real identity is now known to all, McFadden would still like to be referred to by her ghostwriter name in the book world.
“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,” she explained. “Even though the name will be a surprise, nothing else will. I’ve always been genuine with my readers.”
McFadden first addressed rumors about her identity while appearing on Jenna Bush Hager’s “Open Book” podcast in December 2025, saying that some of the theories she reads are “so out there” — one man claimed her “cleavage was photoshopped” in her author photo — while others are “great.”
“I think every author gets ‘AI is writing her books,’ even though most of them were written before AI,” she said. “One that’s very funny is people saying that I’m three men, and I think that’s hilarious.”
At the end of the day, McFadden explained that staying anonymous has been a “hard” feat that has led to her turning down multiple opportunities other authors get offered, like book tours, which she “feels bad” about passing on. Eventually, the secret began to cause “panic attacks” and affect her mental health.
‘The Housemaid’ Trailer Offers 1st Look as Sydney Sweeney in Titular Role
Still, her journey as a writer began as a hobby and was never meant to affect her day job, which is why she remained in the shadows for so long.
“Some people go into writing hoping to quit their day job, but I didn’t do it [for that reason]. I was just having fun,” she explained to USA Today on Wednesday. “I kept clinging to being a doctor because, first, I worked very hard to get there and I find it really rewarding. I love seeing patients and helping people.”
McFadden’s success comes at a time when her star only continues to rise. After the success of 2025’s The Housemaid, a second film, in which Sweeney, 28, will reprise her role as the titular character alongside Kirsten Dunst, is currently in production. As of now, there are three books in the psychological thriller series: The Housemaid, The Housemaid’s Secret and The Housemaid Is Watching. A release date for the sequel film has not yet been revealed.
