The Housemaid Ending Explained: The Real Reason Nina Needs Millie

The Housemaid ends by flipping the table in a way that makes you rethink who you were rooting for. Here is how the finale actually plays out, why Nina brought Millie into this mess in the first place, and how the last scene quietly tees up more trouble.

Quick context

Based on Freida McFadden's 2022 novel, the movie centers on Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) and Millie Calloway (Sydney Sweeney). At first, Nina looks like the problem: she is erratic, cruel to her new housemaid, and generally a nightmare. Then the story peels back the paint and shows you the rot underneath: Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar), Nina's husband, is the real threat.

The turn: who the villain really is

Andrew is the classic public saint, private monster. He keeps up a perfect-husband image while controlling and abusing the women in his life. When they do not meet his standards, he engineers scenarios to punish them. He also spent years painting Nina as unstable and used that to separate her from her daughter, Cece. The film does not rush this reveal, which makes the final act hit harder.

Why Nina needed Millie

Nina hires Millie with one goal: get out from under Andrew and protect Cece. Her plan is uncomfortable by design. She acts hostile toward Millie not because she hates her, but because she knows Andrew's pattern. If Millie looks like a damsel in distress, Andrew will swoop in and play hero, shifting his attention away from Nina. That is the opening Nina needs.

And Nina does not pick Millie at random. Millie has a rough backstory: she once went to prison after killing a boy while trying to stop an assault. The attacker was from a powerful family, nobody believed her, and she took the fall. It is a harsh piece of character history, but it tells Nina exactly what she wants to know about Millie: she will fight back when it counts.

The ending, beat by beat

• The mask drops for good: Andrew is exposed as the abuser who manipulates situations to punish women while looking spotless in public.
• Nina's long game pays off: she and Millie align to end his control.
• The fatal moment: during the confrontation, Millie pushes Andrew down the stairs. He dies.
• Aftermath: with Andrew gone, Nina takes control of his money, grabs Cece, and heads to California. She also gives Millie a lot of cash as a thank-you and a fresh start.
• Tag scene: Millie interviews for another live-in maid job. The employer hints her own husband is abusive and says Nina recommended Millie. Translation: Millie might be turning into the person you call when you need to get away from a man like Andrew. Sequel bait, activated.

What it all means

Underneath the thriller polish, the movie reframes Nina from villain to survivor and turns Millie into her unlikely co-conspirator. The last scene is a smart little nudge toward a follow-up where Millie could help other women escape men who use a perfect facade to hide what they really are. It is a tidy, pulpy ending that also leaves the door cracked just enough for round two.