The Housemaid's Amanda Seyfried and Paul Feig on Her Most Unhinged Role Yet

Summary

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Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club

Episode: The Housemaid’s Amanda Seyfried and Paul Feig on Her Most Unhinged Role Yet

Date: December 16, 2025
Host: Danielle Robay
Guests: Amanda Seyfried (actor), Paul Feig (director)

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Overview

In this lively episode of Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club, host Danielle Robay sits down with acclaimed actress Amanda Seyfried and director Paul Feig to discuss their collaboration on the film adaptation of The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. The episode explores Seyfried’s portrayal of Nina—her most psychologically complex and "unhinged" role yet—and the creative challenges of bringing a tightly-wound psychological thriller from page to screen. The trio delves deep into acting instincts, adaptation choices, and the tension at the heart of this beloved book and its upcoming film.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Earliest Reading Memories (06:05)

• Paul Feig recalls struggling as a child reader, eventually finding joy in Winnie the Pooh:

  “I just devoured it…The whole family was relieved, like, oh, he actually can read.” (06:10)

• Amanda Seyfried shares that thrillers unlocked her love of books:

  “I never liked to read until I was maybe 10... there were these Lois Duncan books ... thrillers that made me feel really empowered.” (06:20)

2. Approaching the Book and Film Adaptation

• Paul Feig insists the team stayed close to the source material, using the book as a reference throughout:

  “I always kept it with me… I really wanted to stay very true to the book because it’s so good... We added an extra—you know, we extended the ending past the book.” (07:30)

• Amanda Seyfried emphasizes the importance of author Freida McFadden’s support:

  “Everything that we did, we felt empowered by because, you know, we had her blessing.” (07:55)

3. Casting and Character Complexity (08:51–10:12)

• Amanda describes Nina as her most challenging and “fun” role yet:

  “Right off the bat, the character that I’m asked to play is so vastly different than anything I’ve ever been asked to play... It is the most fun role I’ve ever played.” (09:10–09:34)

• On playing a character “playing someone else,” she notes the rarity and thrill:

  “You’re playing somebody who's playing somebody, and that doesn't happen often... I got to explore rage in a way that I never have. Very therapeutic.” (09:37)

4. Directing and Mapping Unpredictability (10:12–11:32)

• Amanda and Paul mapped out Nina’s emotional “crumbs” to balance instability and empathy.

  Amanda: “It was very delicate... to figure out scene to scene how far I’d go without losing her completely.” (10:12) Paul: “If Nina just turns and is terrible the whole time, it becomes one dimensional... it had to be this weird push and pull.” (10:45–10:55)

• Inspirations: Amanda states she didn’t channel other characters, but instead her own discomfort around unpredictable people:

  “It was really, really fun and interesting to channel what I fear most... It was just cathartic. Mostly therapeutic.” (12:01–12:37)

5. Perspective on Character Immersion and Authenticity (12:42–14:13)

• Amanda Seyfried’s acting philosophy:

  “You have to accept that you are in every character, whether you're in it 10% or 90%. You have to be present... I like myself and I want to always return to myself. So I choose to just make sure I'm grounding it as much as possible.” (04:36 & 13:40)

6. Adapting the Book’s Tension for Film (19:43–22:19)

• Paul Feig discusses translating the book’s explosive first line to the screen and the importance of “seducing” the viewer rather than starting with a shock:

  “We realized we were taking too much away from them… So it was better to lose that [shock opener]. You want to seduce people in.” (19:59)

• On using voiceover (VO):

  “This movie, it was so important to have it because… the first hour is all questions, and the second hour is all answers… Amanda did it in one take.” (22:00)

• Amanda on that process:

  “I don’t care if it works... If I know the character, it’s probably fine.” (22:56)

7. Favorite Scenes and Moments (24:20)

• Paul Feig highlights his favorite moment:

  “When Andrew confronts Nina after the stolen car and then throws her out of the house... that slow walk down the stairs... Amanda plays it so fantastic. Just a meal. Oh, it’s like a feast.” (24:20–25:16)

• Amanda on on-set energy:

  “It feels good for everybody… you weren’t really sure what was going to happen, and then you’re like, oh, my God, I think we found it.” (25:52)

8. Portraying Desperation, Empathy, and Human Motivation (26:40)

• Amanda talks about connecting to aspects of Nina’s desperation, even if her circumstances are foreign:

  “When I get a character … I think I relate to the fact that she’s just had enough and she has to play one last part ... You can find empathy for every single character in every movie. And as an actor, you have to find that.” (26:54–28:18)

• Paul Feig on giving even villains inner logic:

  “All men mean well. ... The worst villain in the world has some reason they think they’re doing the right… It’s not an excuse, but you go, okay, at least there’s an inner logic.” (28:18)

9. Centering Women's Stories and Flipping Expectations (29:12–31:13)

• Paul Feig on why men's roles are minimized:

  “I just love telling women’s stories. ... What’s brilliant about this book is she makes you, and by extension us, root for everything you should not be rooting for.” (30:14–31:00)

• The “fun” and catharsis come in the story’s twist and retribution:

  “The fun is the retribution and the payback ... we get to just go crazy with it.” (31:13–32:01)

10. Motherhood, Performance, and the Myth of Perfection (36:56–39:24)

• Host Danielle asks how Amanda connected her own motherhood to the performance of a “good mother.”
• Amanda Seyfried on the duality and performance of maternal perfectionism:

  “She doesn't seem like a great mother at first… The frenzied, like, everything must be right… You can tell she’s worn out… because she has to maintain this house and this perfectionist look for her husband so she doesn’t get abused. ... I can relate to feeling like you have to kind of do everything and make sure the home fires are burning and that it's just too much for one person.” (37:55–39:24)

11. Bookmarked: What’s Inspiring Them This Week (39:25)

• Paul Feig is obsessing over dog training tips for his new puppy.
• Amanda Seyfried reads her favorite passage from The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (40:26–41:31), closing with:

  “...it is a glory and a privilege to love what death doesn’t touch. That’s the last page of The Goldfinch. ... Every time I read it, just like any Mary Oliver poem... brings me back around.” (40:48–41:31)

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Notable Quotes

• Amanda Seyfried on channeling fear as inspiration:

  “It was really, really fun and interesting to channel what I fear most... to try to find the scariest pieces of that and portray them. It was just cathartic. Mostly therapeutic.” (12:01)

• Paul Feig on adaptation choices:

  “You want to seduce people in. Sometimes a book... needs a lot of help from us as screenwriters and actors and directors, and other ones just kind of sort themselves out. The Housemaid really told us, let’s play this almost linear... for the first hour, because then we know we’re going to do this switch back.” (19:59)

• Amanda Seyfried on acting philosophy:

  “I like myself and I want to always return to myself. So I choose to just make sure I'm grounding it as much as possible.” (04:36/13:40)

• Amanda Seyfried (quoting The Goldfinch):

  “...it is a glory and a privilege to love what death doesn’t touch.” (40:48)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Main Theme: 03:35–04:36
• Earliest Reading Memories: 06:05–07:10
• Adapting The Housemaid: 07:30–08:51
• Character Challenges for Amanda: 09:04–09:34
• Discussing Nina’s Complexity: 10:12–11:32
• Channeling Personal Fears for Character: 12:01–12:37
• Seyfried’s Acting Approach: 04:36/13:40
• Translating Tension from Book to Screen: 19:43–22:19
• Favorite Scene Analysis: 24:20–25:16
• Empathy and Motivation: 26:40–28:18
• Women’s Stories & Subverting Tropes: 29:12–31:13
• Motherhood & Role Performance: 36:56–39:24
• What They’ve Bookmarked: 39:25–41:31

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Memorable Moments

• Amanda’s Confession: Seyfried never read The Housemaid book before getting the script, surprising even herself as a voracious thriller listener. (08:22)
• One Take Wonder: Amanda’s voiceover, recorded as a temp track in a motel, makes it into the final film unaltered. Paul Feig and the crew were floored. (22:00–22:19)
• Amanda Quotes The Goldfinch: Her “bookmarked” reading closes the episode on a poignant, existential note about love, transience, and the privilege of being alive. (40:26–41:36)

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Final Thoughts

This episode brings listeners inside the creative process behind one of the season’s most anticipated book-to-film adaptations. Amanda Seyfried and Paul Feig unpack the emotional and technical demands of twisting a psychological thriller into cinematic gold, all while emphasizing authenticity, empathy, and the power of women-centered storytelling. Their candor, vulnerability, and humor ensure this conversation will satisfy both literary and cinephile fans alike.

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Transcript

[Danielle Roubais]

This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton we spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands but also in the world around you? In the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for a lazy weekend morning with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. And it's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like books we cherish, cotton weaves meaning into everyday moments. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton. Not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the fabric of our lives. Learn more at thefabricofourlives.com@just roll they believe the kitchen is where joy lives with their refrigerated dough. There's no fussy proofing, no hours of waiting, just just big smells, big smiles and that first irresistible flaky bite. They do the hard part so you could skip straight to the fun. Just Roll Puff Pastry is made with non GMO high quality ingredients ready to roll with parchment paper straight from the fridge. No thawing, no stress, just golden bakery worthy layers every single time. With Just Roll, every bake is simple. From savory showstopping appetizers to sweet dessert masterpieces, this is a fresh way to bake. Familiar but better. Find Just Roll Puff Pastry in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or visit justroll.com to find a store near you.

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[Danielle Roubais]

Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club is presented by Apple Books. Hi, I'm Danielle Roubais and welcome to Bookmark. Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club. Okay, this may be a bit of a hot take, but I actually love reading thrillers during the holiday season. I know. Hear me out. It's 4pm it's already dark outside, half of my emails bounce back with out of offices, and there's something delicious about burrowing under a blanket and letting a completely unhinged plot take over my mind. It's cozy, but with danger. And you know by now that I love a contradiction. So when I heard that Frieda McFadden's the Housemate was headed for the big screen, directed by Paul Feig and starring Amanda Seyfried, I perked up. Paul has given us cultural staples, right? Freaks and geeks, bridesmaids, a simple favor. And Amanda is one of those rare actors who just dissolves into every role she touches. From Mean Girls to Les Mis to the Dropout. She's fearless.

[Amanda Seyfried]

You have to accept that you are in every character, whether you're in it 10% or 90%. You have to be present. I like myself and I want to always return to myself. So I choose to just make sure I'm grounding it as much as possible.

[Danielle Roubais]

So if you haven't read the book, let me set the stage. The housemaid begins quietly and simply. Millie is a young woman with a very complicated past and she takes a job as a live in housemaid for Andrew and Nina. Nina's played by Amanda Seyfried, and they're one of those couples whose white couch actually stays white. Okay. But soon, tiny cracks start to turn into fault lines, and nothing and no one is what you thought they were. So if you're already inching a little closer to the edge of your seat as I'm talking. Good. You're in exactly the right place. Let's turn the page with Amanda Seyfried and Paul Feig. Amanda, Paul, welcome to Reese's Book Club. Welcome to the club.

[Paul Feig]

Thank you so much.

[Danielle Roubais]

I'm so excited to chat with you today. Interviews are a privilege, and it's a real privilege to interview you. Thank you for playing along. When everyone sees the film, they'll understand. But I feel like a changed woman after seeing this film. And I want to start with a question that you probably haven't been asked on this press tour. A ton. What is your earliest memory of reading?

[Paul Feig]

Well, for me, it was Winnie the Pooh because I had trouble reading. But for some reason, I was given that book by my grandma, and I just devoured it. And the whole family was relieved, like, oh, he actually can read. He's not an idiot.

[Amanda Seyfried]

You gotta find something that you really enjoy and makes you feel safe. I realize that with my daughter, too. I'm like, she doesn't want to read? No, she just has different tastes. And I think my. I never liked to read until I was maybe 10. And there were these Lois Duncan books, and they were chapter books, and I felt really adult when I was reading them. But they were thrillers, like crazy thrillers that I think I actually should make movies. But I remember just devouring them in a way that it made me feel really empowered.

[Danielle Roubais]

I love hearing that. And, Paula, I think there's so many good lessons in Winnie the Pooh also that carry over into adulthood. So I think that's cool.

[Paul Feig]

Yeah, no, it's fun. Friends that you get to kind of imagine are yours.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Mm, yeah. They're a good group. Good, smart group.

[Danielle Roubais]

Well, this film was based on the Frida McFadden book. It was released back in 2022, and I saw this TikTok of you guys all on set where everyone was reading the book and having really big feelings about. So was everybody reading it on set, or was there a divide between people who wanted to read it and people who didn't want to read it?

[Paul Feig]

I mean, I think we all kind of read it beforehand. I always kept it with me just because I always. I was referring to it a lot when I was making the movie, even though we had the script and we had Done everything. I just. I would always kind of go back for any questions I had because I really wanted to stay very true to the book because it's so good. And the only things we changed were things that we kind of plussed up to make them a little more cinematic. And then we added an extra. You know, we extended the ending past the book.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Yeah. To have the Support of Frieda McFadden while we were making this. The support in the script. Everything that we did, we felt empowered by because, you know, we had her blessing. And, I mean, with Paul, too, you know, this movie is gonna be special and surprising, even for the book lover. So I don't know. I almost feel like I need to read the book again.

[Danielle Roubais]

Well, did you read it before you were cast? Cause I can't imagine you did.

[Amanda Seyfried]

No, I hadn't, but I do. I listen to thrillers all the time. Like, I. E. I eat these up. Cause I'm always driving or, like, feeding or doing things where I want to be told a story. And so I was surprised that I hadn't read them because I read all these anthologies all the time. I listen to them. So, yeah, that was a surprise. But I'd read the script first.

[Paul Feig]

And what's been fun for me now discovering this is now I'm reading all of Frida's books, and they're so much fun.

[Danielle Roubais]

Right?

[Amanda Seyfried]

Yeah, she's got it going on.

[Danielle Roubais]

Well, I kind of love that you hadn't read it before you were cast. Because Nina is such a complicated character. I cannot even imagine how she was pitched to you. What did people describe her as?

[Amanda Seyfried]

Okay, it's Paul Feig and Sydney Smeeling. It shoots. It's based on this crazy, huge, amazing book, and it shoots in New Jersey. And I was like, dude, great. And then the privilege of reading a script where right off the bat, the character that I'm asked to play is so vastly different than anything I've ever been asked to play in my life. And then it keeps getting better, and I'm sorry. It is the most fun role I've ever played. And it's really probably not gonna happen for a long time.

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Yeah.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Because you're playing somebody who's playing somebody, and that doesn't happen often. And the ability that he gave me, the space Paul gave me to really go as far as I needed to go, I got to explore rage in a way that I never have. Very therapeutic. And watching it back, like, necessary.

[Danielle Roubais]

What's cool, though, is she starts out kind of two dimensional. You don't Realize that there's this person playing a character. You don't even see all the rage yet. What kind of conversations did you and Paul have about how you wanted to develop her and portray the character playing a character?

[Amanda Seyfried]

I mean, I think it was just really important for us to map out exactly what kind of crumbs I was leaving when with her. And it was all in how I communicated with Millie. And I needed to keep her on her toes at all times because I needed her to feel completely unstable. And so, like, it was. It was very. It was a very delicate situation. So we had to go through the script and figure out, you know, scene to scene, where how far I was gonna go without losing her completely.

[Paul Feig]

Well, we wanted to map it too, so that if Nina's just turns and is terrible the whole time, it becomes one dimensional. And either you go like, well, Millie.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Was mean, and Millie's like, bye. Yeah.

[Paul Feig]

So it had to be this weird push and pull of, like, she's mean, and then she's like, I don't know what I'd do without you. And then she's kind of normal, and then she's not. So that Millie can be going, like, is she just hormonal because she's pregnant, or is she crazy, or does she just hate me? That weird push and pull that they played together and then that outside the.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Outsiders, like the PTA moms who, you know, end up making Millie feel empathy for. I mean, it's just like every time she loses her, she kind of takes her back and, God, it's really fun.

[Paul Feig]

It was really fun at the beginning because those first few scenes I remember, I think my only direction was, like, kooky and fun. She's kooky and fun. Like, just make her just. Yeah, like, so the Millie's like, oh, this is the greatest job ever. This is the greatest boss ever. And then. Then the next morning shows up.

[Danielle Roubais]

And to that point, I. I was sort of, like, watching, thinking, I wonder who she pulled inspiration from. Were there any real housewives or TV or film housewives that you were thinking about?

[Amanda Seyfried]

No. Boring answer.

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No.

[Amanda Seyfried]

No. I. I channeled one of my fears in life, or one of the things that I really struggle with is when I'm with people working with people, or having to be near people who are unpredictable and hot and cold. And because this is who Nina is when you meet her, it was really, really fun and interesting to channel what I fear most, to try to find the scariest pieces of that and portray them. It was just cathartic. Mostly Therapeutic.

[Danielle Roubais]

This whole movie for me, Amanda, that's so deep.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Is it?

[Danielle Roubais]

Yeah. I mean, I don't, I don't want to pry too much, but it sounds like that stuff is from childhood and so to be able to play it out.

[Amanda Seyfried]

And also it's like it's something I learned, you know, in my 30s probably that of course, of course you don't feel safe when you don't know what you're going to get. You know, the fear of the unknown. It's like you want to trust somebody and love somebody, but if they treat you differently than they did the day before, it's, you know, it's not your fault. But you want to try to make change yourself for them. And I think that's just what humans do, especially when they're younger. They don't know any better. So, you know, thank God. Spoiler alert. It doesn't end up that Nina is that person, but actors get to do, get to learn a lot through their work. Definitely. One of the upsides, maybe what's so.

[Danielle Roubais]

Amazing is that you have to be so yourself and simultaneously another person.

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Yeah.

[Amanda Seyfried]

You have to like in that you're grounding it. And so you have to accept that you are in every character, whether you're in it 10% or 90%. You have to be present, I think in order to ground something or you have to completely turn into somebody else, which some people do and are successful at it. I like myself and I want to always return to myself. So I choose to just make sure I'm grounding it as much as possible.

[Danielle Roubais]

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[Danielle Roubais]

To go back to the book for a moment, the first line gags everybody. It says, if I leave this house, it will be in handcuffs. Paul, as a director, how do you translate an opening line that is that explosive onto the screen without blowing tension too early?

[Paul Feig]

Yeah, I mean, it's a very living, breathing organism. A movie. And the original opening for the movie that we shot starts with somebody's dead. And it's the cops coming down, staring at this body. And then one of them picks up a tooth and says, is that a tooth? And so. And then we go into the movie as a flashback, and I liked it, but with an audience. We realized we were taking too much away from them for that, with that. And so it was better to lose that. And we just come into it and like, oh, this is just a nice little domestic thing of a young woman. Showing up who needs work. And I'm so glad we took it out. Even though I liked the scene and it was a really cool shot. So obviously as a director, you're like, oh, I'm gonna lose that. But you wanna seduce people in. In a way that sometimes a book. I don't know, it's so funny. I really learned. Cause I've done a bunch of book adaptations, but every book is different. And some books need a lot of help from us as screenwriters and actors and directors and other ones just kind of sort themselves out. And the housemaid really told us, let's play this almost linear. Well, very linear for the first hour, because then we know we're going to do this switch back. And it was really fun. You know, I don't normally like voiceover in a movie. It's a crutch that you can rely on. But this movie, it was so important to have it because as Laura Fisher, my producing partner, says, this movie is the first hour is all questions, and the second hour is all answers. And so by the time you're just like, I gotta know what's going on, here it comes. And Nina's backstory is so wonderful. And let me just credit my friend here, Amanda. We recorded that VO one of the first day is temp in. We went to a motel.

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Really?

[Amanda Seyfried]

When I was dancing that day.

[Paul Feig]

Yeah, yeah. And you were. And she just did it once. And that's what's in the movie. It was so good. I would just like. I mean, when you were doing it, I was leaning forward. And when you finished it, we were all just like, oh, my God. Like, I feel like I just watched the movie. It was so good. So one take. One take. Wonder over.

[Amanda Seyfried]

I'll take it. I. I'll take it. I just think it's really just a great design, all in all. I mean, there are certain formulas for certain types of genres, but you don't always have to play by those rules, because if you have something more interesting, if you're going to give the audience even a better ride, you have to go with your instincts. So that's. It's. It's. It's always interesting to me. What's. What was going to be and now is.

[Danielle Roubais]

Yes. Do you feel. Because I know in what I do, I'll. I'll Repeat a line 10 times and then decide which take is best. Were you nervous that they went with the first take?

[Amanda Seyfried]

No, I.

[Danielle Roubais]

It just poured out.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Yeah. I don't. I don't care if it works. I mean, I Try to do my best. You know, of course, I've always seen takes in movies or TV that I'm like, why would they use that? That's terrible. I see something different. If I know the character, it's probably fine.

[Paul Feig]

Well, the other, I don't rehearse either. So my favorite thing is to get. Just start going and see what their natural instinct is.

[Danielle Roubais]

Yeah.

[Paul Feig]

And then I have in my head usually something slightly different. So then I just kind of like to incrementally move them towards what I think I want. But then I've got this whole, you know, selection of takes, and I usually end up almost always using closer to what their original instinct was than what I wanted because they are the character.

[Danielle Roubais]

Now, Paul, to your point earlier about building tension, the book contains actually very little dialogue. And instead, you're in the narrator's head the entire time. And so that tension builds through the gap between what the characters think and what they actually do. And then when you adapt this for a screen, you have to transfer that tension. Now, understanding how you thought about it, questions and answers, that makes a lot of sense. But was there a scene or a moment that was either particularly hard to adapt to screen or one that you're particularly proud of?

[Paul Feig]

I mean, I'm proud of everything in this movie, but I think my favorite scene is when Nina. When Andrew confronts Nina after the stolen car and then throws her out of the house. Cause the high extreme tension in that scene is so great. And Amanda plays it so fantastic. Just that slow walk down the stairs.

[Danielle Roubais]

Oh, yeah.

[Paul Feig]

Is so great.

[Danielle Roubais]

You still don't know for sure what's happening during that walk, how good and complicated you were. Amanda. Thanks.

[Amanda Seyfried]

There were so many opportunities in that scene. It was just a meal. Oh, it's like a feast.

[Paul Feig]

And my favorite moment, it was just like. Because when she, you know, grabs her and I just said, get as close to in her face as you can. And then. And I was watching, and then you got in there. I just. I almost, like. I just. I almost screamed out. I was so happy.

[Amanda Seyfried]

And one of my favorite parts of shooting with you is, like, you. I can feel your excitement after.

[Danielle Roubais]

Oh, that's the best.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Yeah, we laughed a lot.

[Paul Feig]

And you got.

[Amanda Seyfried]

How to have levity.

[IBM Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Paul Feig]

You got to release that tension. Yeah.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Yeah.

[Paul Feig]

But that's the most fun thing about being a director is to see these things realized and you have something in your head and then to see somebody do it better than you had in your head or take some idea that was like, in a moment of like, oh, try this. And then it's like, oh, my God. We just created the perfect moment that I wasn't even sure I didn't even have planned. That's exciting.

[Amanda Seyfried]

It's like fireworks. It feels good for everybody. You can feel an overall kind of celebration of, like, nailing something where you weren't really sure what was going to happen, and then you're like, oh, my God, I think we found it.

[Paul Feig]

Yeah.

[Danielle Roubais]

I think the misdirection or, like, the. The red herrings is what's so fun about this movie. And you got me. Like, usually I can tell what's going to happen. And I was thinking to myself, like, Paul Feig is not gonna do a movie where women aren't, like. Aren't winning. You know? So, like, what's happening here? But, Amanda, I'm curious how you step into a role when your characters, like, seeming and being are two different stories. Did you, like, do you write in the lines of the script? How'd you even think about how to do this?

[Amanda Seyfried]

I mean, I just. I don't. I don't know. I was just like, this is a woman who's desperate. And.

[Danielle Roubais]

And had you felt that before, that sort of desperation, could you align with it?

[Amanda Seyfried]

I have never felt like I was. I had to set up such a profound trap for some. Another woman so I could. I could escape an abusive husband. Thank God. But when I get a character and, you know, when I try to understand the character, obviously I have to relate to a lot of things, but I think I relate to the fact that she's just had enough and she has to play one last part in order to find her destiny. And I had to ignore the fact that she was using this other woman because it's a terrible. It's terrible, but it's at the same time, like, you're at this point, so desperate, you're putting yourself and your family first with seeing your daughter. And, I don't know, you just find with humanity, there's like, we're all humans. I mean, even with Andrew, the character of Andrew, it's like, you know, spoiler turns out to be an abusive mother. But it's not because he decided that he wanted to be this guy. It's because he was born to a certain person and didn't have, you know, the tool wasn't given the tools. And like, you. You have. You can find empathy for every single character in every movie. And as an actor, you have to find that. But it was just interesting. It was just balancing that the push and Pull with me and with Andrew, because you didn't want to give too much away to him, but he almost didn't want to see it.

[Paul Feig]

Well, I mean, everything I do, anything I write or anything I put up on the screen, I run through George Bernard Shaw. The back of his plays would have these little maxims. And one of them was, all men mean well. And that, to me, is the key to making everything believable. Because the worst villain in the world has some reason. They think they're doing the right correct in Andrew. This is how he was brought up. So I'm sure that happened to him, too. It's not an excuse by any means, but you go, okay. At least there's an inner logic that I'm tapping into. I think the worst movies and the worst villains and movies are just like mustache twirling. Like, I'm just gonna create chaos. Like, well, why? What's the reason you're creating chaos, not just evil. So I think that gives everything a three dimension.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Like, everybody, they just. When they don't have control and want control, it's the things that they're willing to do to get it.

[Paul Feig]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Exactly.

[Danielle Roubais]

Well, there's hardly any men in this movie, and one of them barely talks. He does have really good hair, though. Amanda's face. Are you agreeing? Yeah. Yeah.

[Amanda Seyfried]

No, no. He's so wonderful. We just spent the day with him and it's just like, I forgot how funny he was.

[Paul Feig]

He's hilarious.

[Danielle Roubais]

I wouldn't know because I didn't hear him speak in the film.

[Amanda Seyfried]

He does speak, and then the scene where we see speak at the end, he's like, you and Cece are going to leave. And we're like, it's in Italian. It would be Cece, but it's actually. It's cc. Cici. Cc. Okay, Cece. You have to go with Che che Cece. And it was just hilarious. He just wanted to be there. He was so willing to be. I mean, he is a major character in the next two books.

[Paul Feig]

Yeah, yeah. Which is great.

[Danielle Roubais]

And he's. He shares a lot with his eyes. Like, I did feel him. What were you trying to telegraph about women's relationship, Paul, by not having these men really have a huge role?

[Paul Feig]

Well, I mean, I just love telling women's stories. And obviously we needed Andrew because he's the catalyst for all this. But, you know, I've always. Ever since, you know, everything I've done. But, like, when we were doing Bridesmaids, it was so important to Kristen and I to not have Cat fighting and not have that. It's like they're at odds, but it's not, you know, Dynasty where they're fighting.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Right.

[Paul Feig]

So, you know, I just, like you say, it doesn't seem like one of my movies in the first half because they're against each other and it's kind of like, oh, he's gonna win. But that's why I think this book is so brilliant. She makes you, and by extension us, make you as an audience root for everything you should not be rooting for. Right?

[Danielle Roubais]

Yeah.

[Paul Feig]

Nothing you are rooting for in that first half is good.

[Danielle Roubais]

Yeah.

[Paul Feig]

And I love audiences cheer when he throws you out of the house. I mean, they always cheer. And I'm just sitting there going like, oh, I can't wait for you guys.

[Amanda Seyfried]

So bad.

[Paul Feig]

You're gonna feel so bad that you cheered for that. And just to hear the audience, people really are reacting, having fun through that whole first, you know, first half because it's that you know, kind of triangle and there's lots of stuff to root for and find kind of fun. When we get to your backstory and you're narrating it, the place is silent and getting invested. So then when we come out of that back into present day, they are bloodthirsty. And that's where the fun work. You know, it's weird to say a movie about abuse is fun. The fun is the retribution and the payback and the audience just releases so much and we get to just go crazy with it.

[Danielle Roubais]

At Just Roll, they believe the kitchen is where joy lives with their refrigerated dough. There's no fussy proofing, no hours of waiting, just big smells, big smiles, and that first irresistible, flaky bite. They do the hard part. So you could skip straight to the fun. Just Roll Puff pastry is made with non GMO high quality ingredients ready to roll with parchment paper straight from the fridge. No thawing, no stress, just golden bakery worthy layers every single time. With Just Roll, every bake is simple. From savory show stopping appetizers to sweet dessert masterpieces, this is a fresh way to bake. Familiar. But better find Just Roll puff pastry in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Or visit justroll.com to find a store near you. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton. We spend a lot of time with stories. Hours curled up with dynamic plots and with characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands, but also in the world around you? In the fabric that's holding you close. Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for lazy weekend mornings with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like the books we cherish, cotton weaves meaning into our everyday moments. Moments like following four adult daughters as they navigate love, loss and the legacy in the Most Fun We Ever had by Claire Lombardo, all while curled up in soft cotton joggers. Or sinking into the island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. A story that spans generations, forbidden love and a fig tree that remembers everything wrapped in a hand stitched quilt, each thread holding its own kind of memory. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the fabric of our lives. Learn [e-mail] youm know what separates the.

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[Danielle Roubais]

10Amanda, I heard you talk about motherhood in your CBS this Morning interview, which was so, so well done. I love that whole interview.

[Paul Feig]

Fun.

[Danielle Roubais]

Yeah, you could tell. You were, you just seemed so yourself.

[Amanda Seyfried]

I was. I was at home. I was just like, everybody's come to me and my daughter and my mom were watching behind the camera cause my son and my husband were in the house cause he'll just talk. But it was amazing. Yeah. I was the most at ease because I knew my daughter was like right there.

[Danielle Roubais]

Oh, that's so cool. I could feel that. Wow. So I heard you talk about motherhood and roles that you were playing once you became a mom. And one of the things that struck me about this is that it was about motherhood, but it was about the performance of what a good mother looks like, which is sort of a haunting part of the story. What parts of your own experience did you pull from when you were thinking about how you wanted to perform motherhood?

[Amanda Seyfried]

Oh, God. I mean, the mother, she doesn't seem like a great mother at first. I mean, she just seems like she's in her own head and completely, you know, putting importance on the wrong stuff. But I think, you know, I think the frenzied, like, everything must be right. Everything. Like I told you to do this and you didn't do this. And it's like everything that she's hitting against as performance. Nina is still very much part of the life of someone who's, you know, raising kids and the madness that comes with that. The X factor of two little humans who don't necessarily know how it's done because they're not adults. And it's just like. It's chaotic with schedules and it's just. You can tell that she's worn out. You can tell that you don't know why. You think that the reason she's so out of her mind is probably because she's just stressed and she's been working too hard at keeping the house together. And that probably is part of it too, because she has to maintain this house and this feeling and this perfectionist look for her husband so she doesn't get abused. And, I mean, I can't relate to that again, but I can relate to feeling like you have to kind of do everything and make sure the home fires are burning and that it's just too much for one person.

[Danielle Roubais]

Well said.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Thanks.

[Danielle Roubais]

I love asking our guests every week what they've bookmarked. It can be a weird fact, a fun quote, something that you saved on Instagram or texted your best friend about. What have you bookmarked this week, Amanda? I love how you grabbed your phone instantly.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Oh, God.

[Paul Feig]

I can tell you what I.

[Amanda Seyfried]

You tell.

[Paul Feig]

Well, we just got a new puppy, so I've just been constantly on Instagram. Now I'm getting all these things, like dog training tips, so I'm just constantly forwarding those to my wife, who's with our puppy back in the back in Palm Springs right now.

[Danielle Roubais]

That's so fun. Wow. Congrats.

[Paul Feig]

Hey. Oh, thanks. He's a cutie.

[Danielle Roubais]

Are you sleeping?

[Paul Feig]

He's actually a good sleeper. Weirdly. Weirdly, the first dog we've had that kind of wants to sleep not on the bed. And my wife is really insulted by that.

[Listener Kelly]

Yeah.

[Paul Feig]

It'S okay. I don't need him going sideways and kicking me off the bed like all the other dogs do.

[Danielle Roubais]

Hilarious. Amanda, what have you bookmarked?

[Amanda Seyfried]

This is one of my favorite things in life. Can I read it, please? Whatever teaches us to talk to ourselves is important. Whatever teaches us to sing to ourselves. Sing ourselves out of despair. But the painting has also taught me that we can speak to each other across time. And I feel I have something very serious and urgent to say to you, my non existent reader. And I feel I should say it as urgently as if I were standing.

[Danielle Roubais]

In the room with you.

[Amanda Seyfried]

That life, whatever else it is, is short. That fate is cruel, but maybe not random. That nature, meaning death, always wins. But that doesn't mean we have to bow and grovel to it. That maybe, even if we're not always so glad to be here, it's our task to immerse ourselves anyway. Wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open. And in the midst of our dying, as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what death doesn't touch. That's the last page of the Goldfinch.

[IBM Advertiser]

Wow.

[Amanda Seyfried]

And I. Every time I read it, just like any Mary Oliver poem that exists on the planet, every time I read brings me back around.

[Danielle Roubais]

That's really beautiful.

[Amanda Seyfried]

I think I have it framed. So that's why I was like, oh, yeah.

[Danielle Roubais]

Oh, my God. Can I ask you why?

[Amanda Seyfried]

It just reminds me that I'm dying in a really beautiful way. And I think, you know, we. We deny that every single day in order to keep living. But if you remind yourself that you are going to be dead at some point, hopefully not too soon, you'll. You'll live a little more or make decisions based on, like what. What fills you. What fills your cup.

[Danielle Roubais]

It gives you the urgency to live. Well, thank you both so much for your time. It was such a fun movie to watch.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Oh, yeah, thanks. It's fun to promote, I'll tell you that.

[Danielle Roubais]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, the two of can imagine. There's lots of laughs.

[Amanda Seyfried]

I just. There's just so much to do with him, you know?

[Danielle Roubais]

I get it. Thank you.

[Paul Feig]

Thanks so much.

[Danielle Roubais]

Okay, friends, before we wrap today's episode, it's time for our monthly comfort segment with Cotton, called the Book Nook.

[Amanda Seyfried]

Where.

[Danielle Roubais]

We celebrate the little rituals that make reading feel just right. And now we've slid into the holiday stretch. Twinkle lights, festive outfits, cozy after parties at home. It feels especially perfect to bring on the comfort. Right? Cotton is such a big part of that holiday feeling this time of year. From the soft layers we live in to the pieces that help us feel grounded wherever we're reading. Let's hear from another bookmark listener sharing their ideal reading setup.

[Listener Kelly]

Hi, Bookmarked. This is Kelly calling from Brooklyn. My ideal place to read a book is a local neighborhood bar on a weeknight. I like a place that's a little bit divey, but friendly and welcoming. Good music, but not so good that I'm singing along in my head with all the songs the whole time. So maybe a couple of my favorites sprinkled in among some songs I don't know. I want a comfortable bar stool that is just wide enough for me to fold up my legs on the seat and low, warm lighting where my book light won't be too intrusive. I'll usually order some food that can be eaten with one hand so I can still turn the page like a sandwich or Tater Tots and then sip on my tequila and soda with lime. I prefer weeknights because it's not too busy and there are plenty of seats with lots of elbow room and I don't mind chatting with the bartender for a bit or answering a couple questions from someone who curious about what I'm reading. But in general, I like to think that reading a book in a bar is a pretty clear sign that I don't want to start a long conversation. It doesn't always work out that way. So my advice to everyone is if you see someone reading in a bar, leave them alone. They're busy. So I guess my ideal reading place is about what it isn't as much as what it is. Not too loud, not too crowded, and not too too distracting. I like being in a place where the only thing I need to focus on is the page in front of me.

[Danielle Roubais]

Kelly I adore this. There's something so charming about a quiet bar in winter time. That warm amber glow, the soft music you tucked into your own little pocket of calm with a book. I can totally picture you perched on that bar stool, wrapped in something comfy and cottony, creating that little cocoon even when you're out in the world. Such a good reminder that comfort doesn't have to mean being at home. Sometimes it's the familiar softness you bring with you. Your favorite cotton sweater, a well worn scarf wherever you're snuggly settled, consumed by the page but still connected to the cheer around you. So friends, keep your reading setups coming, especially now that the cold is settling in and we're all layering up in those soft cotton essentials. Are you curled up under twinkle lights, maybe reading in your coziest cotton sweater while cookies are in the oven, or you're wrapped in a blanket like a bookish burrito.

[Amanda Seyfried]

That's me.

[Danielle Roubais]

Take me into your winter reading ritual. Leave me a voicemail at 501-291-3379 or email a voice memo to bookmarkedesbookclub.com thanks to Cotton for bringing this segment to life and for reminding us that comfort and style can go hand in hand, especially during the holidays. When you're getting dressed for a night out or cuddling up with a book, don't forget to check the tag for cotton. And to learn more, head to thefabricofarlives.com. And if you want a little bit more from us, come hang with us on socials. We're at Reese's Book Club on Instagram serving up books, vibes and behind the scenes magic. And I'm Danielle Robay. R O B A Y Come say hi and DM me. And if you want to go 90s on us, you can call us. Okay, so our phone line is open, so call us now at 501-291-3379. That's 501-291-3379. Share your literary hot takes, your book recommendations. Ooh. Please share those and questions about the monthly pick. Or just let us know what you think about the episode you just heard. And who knows, you might just hear yourself in our next episode. So don't be shy, give us a ring. And of course, make sure to follow Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows. Until then, see you in the next chapter. Bookmarked is a production of Hello Sunshine, an iHeart podcast ACS. It's executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and me, Danielle Roubaix. Production is by Acast Creative Studios. Our producers are Maddie Foley, Brittany Martinez and Sarah Schleed. Our production assistant is Avery Loftus. Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutter are the executive producers for Acast Creative Studios. Maureen Polo and Reese Witherspoon are the executive producers for hello Sunshine. Olga Kaminwa, Sarah Kernerman, Kristin Perla and Ashley Rapoport are associate producers for Reese's Book Club. Ali Perry and Lauren Hanson are the executive producers for iHeart podcasts. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton we spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands, but also in the world around you, in the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for a lazy weekend morning with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like books we cherish, cotton leaves meaning into everyday moments. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton, not just to read the story but to feel it the fabric of our lives. Learn more at thefabricofourlives.com@just roll they believe the kitchen is where joy lives with their refrigerated dough. There's no fussy proofing, no hours of waiting. Just big smells, big smiles and that first irresistible flaky bite, its tiny hands helping unroll the dough. It's laughing over a slightly wonky cinnamon swirl. It's pulling golden puffed layers out of the oven and hearing that perfect crispy crackle. They do the hard part so you could skip straight to the fun. Just Roll Puff pastry is made with non GMO high quality ingredients ready to roll with parchment paper straight from the fridge. No thawing, no stress, just golden bakery worthy layers every single time. With Just Roll Every bake is simple. From savory show stopping appetizers to sweet dessert masterpieces, this is a fresh way to bake. Familiar but better find Just Roll Puff Pastry in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or visit justroll.com to find a store near you with Venmo Stash.

[Paul Feig]

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What a matchup we got y'.

[Amanda Seyfried]

All.

[Pluvicto Advertiser 3]

This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit chant echo drum beat everybody showing that school pride. A game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime and Just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere. And in ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo, no matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.

[Danielle Roubais]

This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.