“Maddie’s Secret renewed my hope that this corner of the industry can go to new places, outside of what is edgy or trendy. It is an extremely accomplished debut and one of the boldest American movies I have seen in years. - Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire
Opens July 3 | MADDIE’S SECRET is comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company. While her life seems picturesque—complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant) and a cupboard full of ethically-sourced chili crisp—mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her past. Maddie’s Secret is a love letter to the eating disorder TV-movie-of-the-week which in its time was already a lo-fi, tawdry love letter to the lush melodramas of a once thriving studio system. It uses the cinematic language and emotional expressiveness of this bygone genre to explore our very strange, food-obsessed moment. But it is also just a fairy tale. Maddie is a blonde in trouble, lost in the dark forest of content. A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts this film marks Early as a promising new voice in comedic cinema.
Awards & Nominations
2025 Toronto International Film Festival - Official Selection
2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam - Official Selection
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu