Key Points
- Seyfried says her executive producer credit was negotiated by her agent as a "vanity" credit.
- She only discovered the EP title three weeks into filming and insists she did not produce the movie.
- Described the shoot as "liberating," likened the film to Black Swan with humor, praised co-star Sydney Sweeney.
Why This Matters
Why this matters: Seyfried's admission exposes how agents can secure "vanity" producing credits without artists' involvement, spotlighting industry credit inflation and transparency issues while reminding audiences that onscreen billing doesn't always reflect real behind‑the‑scenes contribution.
AMANDA Seyfried admits her EP title on film The Housemaid was a “vanity credit”.
The Mamma Mia! actress, 40, says she only found out she was an executive producer on the movie three weeks into filming, and it was something her agent negotiated without her knowledge.
“I’m a producer on it and I didn’t know until three weeks in,” Amanda said.
“I saw the call sheet and I was like, ‘Executive producer? I didn’t sign up for that’.
“I called one of the producers and was like, ‘You guys have me on as an executive producer’.
“And he was like, ‘That’s what your agent negotiated’.
“And I was like, ‘Well this really better be a hit then’.
“It was one of those vanity credits, because I didn’t do s**t to make that movie. I only acted in it.
“That’s the thing about vanity credits. I don’t want people to get it twisted.”
In an interview with last month’s W Magazine, Seyfried said how she felt “so liberated” while making The Housemaid.
“I star opposite Sydney Sweeney, and we have the same shoe size, are the same height, and we giggle the same way,” she said.
“It was so crazy – in some ways, that film is like Black Swan or Single White Female, but funny. I got to play so hard.
“The director, Paul Feig, would give me the strangest directions. He’d say, ‘Okay, make [Sydney] think you’re going to kiss her!’ I felt so liberated.”
Why They Are Trending
Amanda Seyfried is trending after admitting her "executive producer" credit on The Housemaid was a surprise vanity credit she didn't earn; Sydney Sweeney is highlighted as her co-star and on-screen counterpart in the film.