Breaking Down The Housemaid’s Biggest Change From the Beloved Book

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Spoilers for The Housemaid movie and book are below.

At last, one of the most discussed #BookTok sensations has made its way to the big screen.

Bringing Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel to the screen with The Housemaid was a challenge for the cast, including stars Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, and Michele Morrone. Director Paul Feig understood the importance of doing the story justice.

He admitted to feeling a lot of pressure adapting the beloved book, saying it was already so strong that the key was not to ruin it. Speaking at a New York screening of The Housemaid, he emphasized that finding the right actors and creating a good adaptation were his top priorities, and praised writer Rebecca Sonnenshine for doing an excellent job with the adaptation.

The actors and filmmakers truly embraced the world author McFadden created while making the movie. However, the film isn’t a direct, word-for-word adaptation of the book. They actually made one key change to the story’s surprising ending.

As a lifestyle expert, I have to say, the movie really delivered with that nail-biting climax! Seeing Andrew Winchester, Millie Calloway, and Nina Winchester finally face off was incredibly tense and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was a fantastic way to wrap everything up.

Similar to the book, the movie first presents Nina as an erratic and emotionally troubled wife, and Andrew as her loving husband who unexpectedly complicates the life of their new housemaid, Millie, soon after she begins working for them.

The truth comes out only after Millie and Andrew start their affair and Andrew forces Nina to leave: Nina’s actions weren’t malicious, but a desperate plan to escape her damaging and controlling marriage to Andrew. We later learn, through a flashback, how Nina initially fell under Andrew’s influence years ago.

Millie quickly discovers the truth about Andrew and realizes the unsettling attic bedroom – once her room – is where he punishes women he believes have done something wrong.

In the book, Millie manages to escape and trap Andrew, ultimately leading to his death. However, the movie version significantly increases the tension and danger. So, what actually happens in the film?

Okay, so Nina actually does go back to the house, driven by her daughter Cecelia (played by Indiana Elle) and her plea to save Millie. Thankfully, this time she doesn’t find the devastating news that Andrew has passed away – he’s still alive, despite being locked away in the attic for a whole week! It’s a huge relief for her, and a major turning point in the story.

Instead, when she unlocked the attic, it wasn’t Millie inside, but Andrew, who was determined to get revenge. A fierce fight broke out between Andrew and the women, eventually leading to a confrontation between him and Nina on the upper landing of their large mansion. Just as he was about to kill her, Millie unexpectedly reappeared and pushed him over the railing, causing him to fall to his death down the winding staircase.

They decided to fake his death, making it appear as if Andrew had accidentally fallen while trying to replace a lightbulb in the chandelier. Nina sent Millie away and planned to tell the authorities what happened.

In the end, Nina and Millie successfully cover up their crime. They meet again at Andrew’s funeral, and Nina gives Millie a large sum of money to help her start over in a new location. Readers can find out what Millie does with this fresh start in the author’s follow-up books, The Housemaid’s Secret and The Housemaid Is Watching.

It’s still uncertain if a film adaptation of Millie’s next book will be made. However, the author was very happy with how the team behind The Housemaid adapted her novel for the screen, particularly the way the story concluded.

At the New York City screening, McFadden told TopMob he believed the new version was an improvement. He explained that the added action made it more exciting to watch on a large screen.

And for Feig, the synergy between him and McFadden on the adaptation process was key.

As a creative collaborator, one of the things I value most is being on the same page as everyone involved, and that’s exactly what happened with her. From the start, she was incredibly supportive. We sent her the script, and she immediately connected with it. She had a couple of specific things she wanted to see from the source material, and honestly, I’d already anticipated those! When she mentioned them, I was able to say, ‘You mean this and this?’ and she confirmed, ‘Yes!’ It was a perfect match from the get-go – we were completely aligned and working seamlessly together.

The Housemaid is now in theaters.

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2025-12-20 00:18