Sydney Sweeney Lands New Co-Star as Paul Anthony Kelly Joins ‘The Housemaid’s Secret’

Lionsgate’s upcoming thriller sequel The Housemaid’s Secret has added a new cast member. Paul Anthony Kelly is joining the film alongside Sydney Sweeney, who returns as Millie, and Kirsten Dunst, who has also recently been added to the project.

This new role is an important step for Kelly, who is still early in his film career. He is set to make his feature film debut with this project. Before this, he gained attention for playing John F. Kennedy Jr. in the FX series American Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. That role helped bring him wider recognition in the industry and led to more major casting opportunities.

In The Housemaid’s Secret, Kelly will play a character named Douglas Garrick. He is described as a wealthy businessman who becomes Millie’s new employer. Millie, played by Sydney Sweeney, worked as a housemaid in the first film, and her story continues in this sequel. Kirsten Dunst will play Wendy Garrick, Douglas’s wife.

The film continues the story from the first Housemaid movie, which was based on Freida McFadden’s bestselling book series. The sequel is also adapted from McFadden’s second novel in the same series. It follows Millie as she enters a new household, where things again seem perfect on the outside but hide darker secrets underneath.

The project is being directed by Paul Feig, who also directed the first film. He is returning to continue the story after the success of the original movie. Rebecca Sonnenshine is once again writing the screenplay, continuing her work from the first installment.

The first Housemaid film was released in 2025 and became a major box office success. It starred Sydney Sweeney as Millie Calloway, a young woman with a troubled past who tries to start over by working for a wealthy family. However, she soon discovers that the household she works for is hiding dangerous secrets. The film reportedly earned around 400 million dollars worldwide, which helped turn it into a strong franchise starter.

Because of that success, Lionsgate quickly moved forward with plans to adapt more books from the series. The second film continues that expansion and brings in new characters while keeping Sweeney at the center of the story.

Kelly’s casting has also drawn attention because of how quickly his career is developing. According to Deadline, he previously worked mainly as a model before shifting into acting. His breakout role in television helped him transition into bigger projects, and this new film role marks a major step into mainstream Hollywood movies.

With a returning lead, a new ensemble cast, and a successful first film behind it, The Housemaid’s Secret is already building strong interest before production details are fully released. The combination of new cast members and familiar characters is expected to continue the psychological thriller tone that made the first film popular with audiences.

The sequel is moving forward with production plans while continuing to build its cast, setting the stage for another major release in the franchise.

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