The maid author Freida McFadden has revealed her real identity after more than two decades of anonymity.
The 45-year-old American best-selling author shared in a recent interview that her real name is Sara Cohen, as she expressed her willingness to step away from the secrecy surrounding her career. “I’m at a point in my career where I’m tired of this being a secret,” she said USA today. “I’m a real person and I have a real identity and I have nothing to hide.”
Cohen combines her writing career with her main profession as a doctor who treats brain disorders. She previously kept a low profile and even appeared in public wearing a wig and glasses to avoid recognition. However, she made it clear that only the hair was part of the disguise.
She said the decision to use a pseudonym was initially intended to protect her medical career. “My whole goal was to keep it a secret… so that it… wouldn’t compromise my ability to do my job,” she explained. Over time, however, colleagues became aware of her writing, although she said they respected her privacy.
The mystery surrounding her identity eventually led to online speculation, including claims that she was not a real person or that there were multiple authors behind her books. Responding to the rumors, she said: “Some of it is great… one that’s really funny is people saying I’m three men.”
Despite the revelation, she confirmed that she will continue writing under the name Freida McFadden. She added that while her real name may be new to readers, she has always been open in her work, saying she has “always been sincere.”
Her books have also undergone film adaptations, including The maidthe new film starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, and a sequel already in development.
