The Tamara Take: Was ‘The Housemaid’ Actually Worth It, or Is Sydney Sweeney Just Bulletproof?
Let’s get real for a second. Walking into the theater for The Housemaid this holiday season, I had one question: Is Sydney Sweeney actually a movie star, or is she just great at marketing?
After a 2025 that saw her stumble through one box office “thud” after another—Americana, Eden, and the sports biopic Christy all failed to catch fire—the stakes for The Housemaid couldn’t have been higher. And yet, here we are on January 6, 2026, and Lionsgate has already greenlit the sequel, The Housemaid’s Secret.
But before we celebrate the “return of the erotic thriller,” we need to ask: Was the movie actually any good?
The Elephant in the Room: Was Part 1 Worth It?
If you’re a fan of the Freida McFadden book, you probably walked out satisfied but a little confused. Director Paul Feig (the man behind Bridesmaids) brought a “glossy camp” vibe to the story that felt more like a 90s thriller than a gritty 2026 drama.
The Good: Amanda Seyfried. Period. She absolutely ate as Nina Winchester. She was chilling, calculated, and frankly, she carried the first two acts. The Bad: The middle drags. If you aren’t a fan of “slow-burn” domestic suspense, you might have found yourself checking your watch until the final 30 minutes when the twists finally start hitting like a freight train.
Verdict: It’s “popcorn trash” in the best way. It’s the kind of movie you watch with a glass of wine and a group of friends just to scream at the screen during the attic reveal.
Another Flop for Sweeney? Actually, No.
The internet loves to call Sydney Sweeney a “flop,” but the numbers just proved them wrong. While critics were mixed—some calling her performance “dull” or “expressionless”—the audience didn’t care.
- The Housemaid has grossed $133.2 million in just over two weeks.
- It’s already outperformed Madame Web (not a high bar, I know) and is officially her biggest hit since Anyone But You.
Is she a “Meryl Streep” level actress? Maybe not yet. Critics at Metacritic gave her a 5.8 user score, with many saying she was “miscast” as Millie. But in Hollywood, cash is king. If you bring in $130M on a $35M budget, you aren’t a flop—you’re a franchise.
Why the Part 2 Greenlight Already?
Lionsgate didn’t wait because they didn’t have to. The “Millie Calloway” character is officially a brand.
- The Book Factor: The sequel, The Housemaid’s Secret, has been on the NYT Bestseller list for over 60 weeks.The audience is already there.
- The “Millie” Arc: The ending of the first movie (spoiler alert!) sets Millie up as a sort of “vigilante housemaid” who helps abused women. That is a formula that could last for five movies.
- The 2026 Schedule: Sydney is about to be everywhere again with Euphoria Season 3 dropping in April. Lionsgate wants to lock her down before her schedule (and her paycheck) gets even more crowded.
My Final Take
The Housemaid wasn’t a masterpiece, but it was fun. It proved that Sydney Sweeney can lead a commercial hit if she has the right co-star (Seyfried) and a director who knows how to handle “trashy” material with style.
I’ll be there for the sequel, but mostly because I want to see if Millie finally meets her match.
The “DailyNewsEdit” Take
We’re tracking the production of The Housemaid’s Secret live. Word is, they are looking to cast a “major A-list name” as the new boss in the penthouse. Who do you want to see go head-to-head with Sydney?
