Bestselling Author Opens Up About Living a 'Double Life' with Secret Identity
'The Housemaid' author talked to Jenna Bush Hager about why she writes under a pseudonym.
parade.comFreida McFadden has been in the news recently due to her public identity reveal and related film/TV adaptations of her work. Here’s a concise update with citations.
- Identity reveal: McFadden announced that she writes under the pen name Freida McFadden but is publicly known as Sara Cohen; this revelation has been reported by major outlets in April 2026.[1][9]
- Film adaptation: The Housemaid, originally a bestselling novel, has a film adaptation released in 2025 with high-profile stars, boosting McFadden’s profile beyond readers.[2][1]
- Ongoing projects: The Housemaid-related film continues to drive attention around her upcoming works, including new novels such as The Divorce (publication around May 26, 2026).[1]
- Public-facing interviews: Interviews and press appearances discuss her dual life as a physician-writer, keeping her personal identity relatively private while engaging with audiences about her work.[7][8]
If you’d like, I can pull the latest specific headlines or summarize what each source says in more detail. Would you prefer a quick timeline or a side-by-side snapshot of the key items?
Citations:
- The Independent article on McFadden’s real identity.[1]
- IMDb news on The Housemaid film adaptation.[2]
- ABC News coverage of her identity reveal.[9]
- Parade interview about her pseudonym and double life.[7]
- McFadden’s official site for primary details on her works.[10]