Amanda Seyfried Didn't Know She Was an Executive Producer on The Housemaid

The actress was surprised to see her name as an executive producer on the film's call sheet.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Amanda Seyfried revealed that she didn't know she was an executive producer on the psychological thriller film The Housemaid until three weeks into filming. Seyfried said her agent had negotiated the title for her, and while she had the credit, she didn't actually do much on the production side of the film, calling it a "vanity credit." Seyfried said the pressure was turned up a notch when she realized her producer role, but she's happy with how the film turned out and is open to being involved in a sequel.

Why it matters

Seyfried's experience highlights how sometimes actors can receive producer credits without fully realizing or understanding the responsibilities that come with the role. It also speaks to the complex negotiations that can happen behind the scenes of a film production, with agents securing titles for their clients that may not always align with the actor's actual involvement.

The details

Seyfried said she was surprised to see her name listed as an executive producer on the call sheet for The Housemaid, a psychological thriller she starred in alongside Sydney Sweeney and Brandon Sklenar. She confirmed the producer credit with another producer, learning that her agent had negotiated the title for her. While Seyfried had the producer credit, she admitted she "didn't do s--t to make that movie" and that it was more of a "vanity credit." Seyfried said the pressure was turned up a notch when she realized her producer role, but she's happy with how the film turned out and is open to being involved in a sequel.

  • Seyfried revealed the news about her producer credit on the Feb. 15, 2026 episode of The Graham Norton Show.
  • Seyfried said she didn't know about the producer credit until three weeks into filming The Housemaid.

The players

Amanda Seyfried

An American actress who starred in the psychological thriller film The Housemaid, and was surprised to learn she also had an executive producer credit on the film.

Sydney Sweeney

An American actress who co-starred with Seyfried in The Housemaid.

Brandon Sklenar

An American actor who co-starred with Seyfried and Sweeney in The Housemaid.

Freida McFadden

The author of the novel that The Housemaid film is based on, who hopes Seyfried can at least do a cameo in the sequel.

Paul Feig

The director of The Housemaid, whom Seyfried said she wanted to work with.

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What they’re saying

“I'm a producer on it. I didn't know until three weeks in and I saw the call sheet and I was like, 'Executive producer, I didn't sign up for that.'”

— Amanda Seyfried, Actress (The Graham Norton Show)

“This better be a hit.”

— Amanda Seyfried, Actress (The Graham Norton Show)

“It's absolutely the most fun role I've ever been given the opportunity to play. I never had the space to go so wild, and Paul Feig is a master director. Truly, I knew this book was such a beloved book I love the fact that we had the opportunity to work together with Paul, it was perfect.”

— Amanda Seyfried, Actress (Today)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Seyfried's experience highlights how producer credits can sometimes be negotiated by actors' agents without the actor fully realizing or understanding the responsibilities that come with the role. It also speaks to the complex behind-the-scenes negotiations that can happen in the film industry.