00:00I think every author gets the AI is writing her books, even though, you know, most of them were
00:06written before AI. One that's very funny is people saying that I'm three men.
00:13That's Frieda McFadden, the writer behind the twisty housemaid books turned Hollywood film
00:18franchise. She sat down with Jenna Bush Hager at the end of 2025 and addressed the wild conspiracy
00:24theories about her true identity. Writing under a pseudonym for years, she's been juggling two
00:29careers, one as a best-selling author and another as a physician. But now she's finally dropping the
00:36disguise and the double life. On April 8th, she revealed her real name is Sarah Cohen. She's 45,
00:43she grew up in Manhattan, and she's a doctor who treats brain disorders. She told USA Today,
00:47I'm at a point in my career when I'm tired of this being a secret. I'm tired of people debating
00:52if
00:52I'm a real person or if I'm three men. I'm a real person and I have a real identity and
00:58I don't
00:58have anything to hide. Adding to the speculation, McFadden slash Cohen has appeared publicly in a
01:03wig and glasses. The glasses, she says, are her own, but the wig was simply because, quote,
01:09I have no idea how to style my hair. It's so much more boring than anything that happens in my
01:14books.
01:14In 2013, the author first published The Devil Wears Scrubs, but it wasn't until the release of
01:19The Housemaid in 2022 that she became a household name and a favorite on BookTok.
01:25Then came last year's film adaptation of The Housemaid starring Sidney Sweeney and Amanda
01:30Seyfried. It grossed nearly $400 million at the box office.
01:34So how was last night with Andrew?
01:39Good. I made chicken piccata.
01:42He's a dream, isn't he?
01:45He pretends to like everything I make him even if he hates it.
01:51A sequel is already in the works. Kirsten Dunst has signed on to star in The Housemaid's Secret.
01:56Cohen now says the skyrocketing success made it harder than ever to stay anonymous.
02:00She felt completely overwhelmed and it was starting to take a toll.
02:04My whole goal was to keep it a secret until I was ready to step back from my doctor job
02:09so it wouldn't be like everyone I work with suddenly knew and it compromised my ability to do
02:14my job. In late 2023, she scaled back her medical work. She now works only once or twice a month
02:20at
02:20the hospital. But even before going public, her colleagues had already figured out her identity.
02:25They kept it quiet and were quote, really nice about it. In fact, she says many were already fans
02:30of her books without realizing they were working alongside the author. And yep, she brings in free
02:36copies to the hospital. Although who knows which name they'll want her to sign.
02:40Frieda McFadden or Dr. Sarah Cohen.
02:44Frieda McFadden
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