Blake Lively’s Quiet Influence on Paul Feig’s New Thriller
So, let me walk you through this interesting behind-the-scenes moment that has been shared about Paul Feig’s upcoming thriller The Housemaid . It turns out Blake Lively played a much bigger role in the film than anyone expected — not on screen, but in the casting room. And the way Feig talks about it, her influence couldn’t have come at a better time.
During a special screening event in New York, Feig openly credited Lively for a major casting decision. He explained that while he was deep into preparations for the adaptation, Blake Lively kept insisting he take a look at actor Brandon Sklenar. She had just finished working with him on It Ends With Us , and according to Feig, she practically wouldn’t stop praising him. Eventually, he sat down with Sklenar, and almost instantly, he was convinced. That meeting led directly to Sklenar being cast in a major role opposite Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.
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What makes this moment so fascinating is how rarely these kinds of peer-to-peer recommendations get talked about. They certainly happen often in Hollywood, but they’re usually kept quiet. Feig, however, seemed genuinely grateful. He even described the casting process as one of the most crucial steps in taking on a book with such a massive fanbase. And since The Housemaid is based on Freida McFadden’s bestselling thriller, he knew expectations would be sky-high.
Now, what’s especially intriguing about this project is that it marks a definite shift for Paul Feig. We usually associate him with clever comedies like Bridesmaids or A Simple Favor . But this time, he’s diving straight into darker psychological territory. The story follows a maid working inside a wealthy family’s home — a place that turns out to be packed with unsettling secrets. Feig said he was drawn in the moment he read the novel, so much so that he personally called Lionsgate to push for the director’s chair.
He’s been working closely with screenwriter Rebecca Sonnenshine to make sure the adaptation captures the book’s suspense, especially its big mid-story twist. According to Feig, balancing the gravity of the subject matter with the story’s surprises became one of the most demanding aspects of the film. And now, with Brandon Sklenar onboard — thanks to Lively’s enthusiastic nudge — the casting puzzle feels complete.
Audiences will get to see how all of this comes together when The Housemaid hits theaters on December 19. Feig’s move into darker storytelling, Lively’s secret casting assist, and a cast filled with rising and established stars all make this one of the more intriguing releases to watch this December.
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