Freida McFadden, the author of The Housemaid, knew it was time to reveal her true identity. Now that her work has become a global success, spawning the hit film starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, Freida unveiled her real name: Sara Cohen.
“I’m at a point in my career when I’m tired of this being a secret,” Sara — who is also a doctor — told USA Today in an April 2026 interview. “I’m tired of people debating if I’m a real person or if I’m three men. I am a real person, and I have a real identity, and I don’t have anything to hide.”
This wasn’t the first time that Freida discussed her other career. As The Housemaid grew in popularity, the writer opened up about her medical career in a past Today interview.
Here’s what you need to know about Sara, a.k.a Freida, and her life outside of The Housemaid.
Sara, a.k.a Freida, studied mathematics while attending the prestigious Ivy League school Harvard University. She then attended Stony Brook University to pursue a career in medicine. However, she never gave up on creative writing. It was during these years that Sara developed a strong work ethic while crafting and publishing fictional stories.
Her first novel, The Devil Wears Scrubs, was loosely inspired by her real-life work experiences as a medical intern.
