Sydney Sweeney enters a world of lies alongside Amanda Seyfried in 'The Housemaid'

Highlights:

• The Housemaid, based on Freida McFadden’s 2022 viral novel, premieres Dec. 19
  
• Sydney Sweeney stars as Millie Calloway opposite Amanda Seyfried as Nina Winchester
  
• Directed by Paul Feig, the domestic thriller teases secrets inside a wealthy suburban home
  
• TikTok teasers built anticipation with cryptic glimpses of the Winchester mansion
  

Trailer reveals first look at adaptation

Lionsgate has released the first trailer for The Housemaid, one of the year’s most anticipated book-to-screen adaptations. The film, directed by Paul Feig, is set for theatrical release on December 19 and is based on Freida McFadden’s bestselling 2022 novel, which went viral on BookTok.

Sydney Sweeney plays Millie Calloway, a young woman hired as a live-in maid for the seemingly perfect Winchester family. Amanda Seyfried co-stars as Nina Winchester, whose polished suburban life quickly reveals darker undertones.

Story and themes

The trailer opens with Seyfried’s character screaming in her car before cutting to eerie glimpses of suburban life—complete with police tape and a coroner outside the family’s home. A seemingly cheerful introduction between Nina and Millie sets the stage for unease, underscored by a haunting rendition of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please.”

Hints of secrets emerge, from locked doors to the possibility of forbidden romance between Millie and Nina’s husband Andrew, played by Brandon Sklenar. The tagline — “Discover what lies behind closed doors” — plays on the dual themes of secrecy and deception.

- YouTube YouTube/ Lionsgate Movies

Social media teasers build buzz

Ahead of the trailer, the production teased audiences with a series of TikTok videos on the film’s official account. Released between September 12 and 15, the clips showcased cryptic visuals of the Winchester mansion, closed doors, and Nina’s unsettling reassurances to Millie. One teaser depicted the house like a dollhouse, revealing key characters including the Winchesters’ daughter Cecilia (Indiana Elle) and the groundskeeper Enzo (Michele Morrone).

Cast and production

Alongside Sweeney, Seyfried, Sklenar, and Morrone, the ensemble also features Indiana Elle as Cecilia Winchester. Director Paul Feig adapts the psychological thriller with Lionsgate backing its release.

Actor insights

At CinemaCon in April, Seyfried described her role as Nina as transformative, saying the experience took her to unexpected emotional places. “We played some wacky stuff. And weren’t expecting to,” she noted.

Sweeney told People that Millie was exactly the kind of role she gravitates toward: “complex, strong and with a little something up her sleeve.” She added, “I can’t wait for fans to see how hard we all worked to bring The Housemaid to life.”