Maddie's Secret

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Videos & Photos

  • Trailer 1

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

John Early

Producer:

John Early, Luca Intili, Harris Mayersohn

Writer:

John Early

Release Date:

Jun 19, 2026

Runtime:

1hr 38m

Synopsis

A food influencer secretly struggles with bulimia as she navigates online fame, close friendships, and a painful past.

Cast

  • John Early
  • Kip Reynolds
  • Neil Wachs
  • Harris Mayersohn
  • Kate Berlant
  • Claudia O'Doherty
  • Gordon Landenberger
  • Conner O'Malley
  • Eric Rahill
  • Synmia Rosine
Moviegoers are saying
John Early's 'Maddie's Secret' has audiences split between those who see it as a sincere melodrama masterpiece and others dismissing it as parody, with most praising Early's fearless performance that 'rides the line of sincerity and comedy' while tackling eating disorders with genuine kindness. Critics are particularly blown away by Early's drag performance as Maddie, with one reviewer declaring him 'the most beautiful woman in the world' and another praising how he 'wears that blond wig like it's real hair.'
Top Mentions
Drag-Masterpiece
Melodrama-Gold
Sincere-Camp
Heart-Wrenching
Genre-Bending
Performance-Art
Summary generated from the text of Atom User reviews

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.8
31K
8.0K
13.0K
RATINGS 87 FANS
3.8
  • Jul 5, 2026

    Grill, Interrupted. Kind of a masterpiece! Floored by how well Early rides the line of sincerity and comedy without ever making Maddie the butt of the joke. In a worse director's hands, this could've been a disaster. Looks beautiful too! Kristen Johnson is terrific (and…

    1.4K Likes
    demi adejuyigbe
    demi adejuyigbe
    Jun 16, 2026

    every oscar in the world goes to… john early is the most beautiful woman in the world

    1.3K Likes
    sarah squirm
    sarah squirm
    Sep 5, 2025

    None of this would work without Early’s profound love for women. He plays Maddie with the grace of a mid-century diva. He wears that blond wig like it’s real hair, with untamed flyaways and a style that’s fighting its natural part. There is a sense, when Maddie visits a…

    1.3K Likes
    Sam B.
    Sam B.
  •
    Jun 19, 2026

    A little Mexican, a little Filipino, a little…me :)

    1.3K Likes
    Blair MacMillan
    Blair MacMillan
    Sep 4, 2025

    DO YOU HAVE A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AMANDA

    978 Likes
    kgreens
    kgreens
    Jun 21, 2026

    I try to never respond to other criticisms of a movie in my own, positive or negative, but I’m seeing a lot of folks write this off as a parody. I think that’s such a mischaracterization of what, to me, is a very funny but deeply sincere take on a movie-of-the-week. Pretty…

    664 Likes
    Brandon Streussnig
    Brandon Streussnig
  •
    Jul 1, 2026

    I literally love Maddie like she is a lifelong personal friend of mine

    428 Likes
    Sam B.
    Sam B.
    Jun 17, 2026

    Todd Haynes… meets Lifetime… meets Tennessee Williams?! There were a couple moments when I was staring at the screen in awe, like one of those people at the end of Disclosure Day. 

    555 Likes
    Bobby Finger
    Bobby Finger
    Jun 27, 2026

    "all the crazy things going on in graphic design right now..."

    540 Likes
    Drusilla Adeline
    Drusilla Adeline
See All Reviews on Letterboxd.com

Queue Community Reviews

71%
Community 119
❤️ LOVE
14%
👍 LIKE
57%
😐 MEH
14%
👎 DISLIKE
14%
Top Reviews
  • Gregory Mitchell
    Gregory Mitchell liked
    Maddie's Secret

    Could’ve been a parody, instead there was genuine emotion which made this work even if I was a little skeptical

    17D
    Emdix
    Emdix liked
    Maddie's Secret

    🥭🍆

    18D
View More Popular Maddie's Secret Reviews on Queue

Atom Users Reviews

3.0
0
0
1
0
0
POPULAR TAGS
#lol

Reviews

  • NA
    Nabeel Arshad
    #lol
    #justokay
    #intense

Metacritic

79
metacritic
Based on 7 Critics
tbd

USER SCORE (0)

There are no user reviews yet
91
Sep 17, 2025

In a satire like this, the laughs start heavy, but Early’s best trick is ending this journey in an earnest, emotionally authentic place. He’s not playing a punchline so much as a humorous, painful truth.

View full review
Metacritic review by Jake Kring-Schreifels
Jake Kring-Schreifels
The Film Stage
90
Sep 17, 2025

Packed with visual gags and a cast of gifted comedic actors, Maddie’s Secret straddles the line between comedy and melodrama, creating a wholly unique cinematic experience.

View full review
Metacritic review by Jourdain Searles
Jourdain Searles
The Hollywood Reporter
91
Sep 17, 2025

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.

View full review
Sam Bodrojan
IndieWire
See All Critic Reviews on Metacritic.com

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is Maddie's Secret (2026)?
The movie is 1hr 38min long.
What's Maddie's Secret (2026) about?
A food influencer secretly struggles with bulimia as she navigates online fame, close friendships, and a painful past.
Who's the cast of Maddie's Secret (2026)?
  • John Early as Maddie Ralph
  • Kip Reynolds as Juggler
  • Neil Wachs as Homeless Man
  • Harris Mayersohn as Burger Boy
  • Kate Berlant as Deena
  • Claudia O'Doherty as Emily
  • Gordon Landenberger as Kyle
  • Conner O'Malley as Zach
  • Eric Rahill as Jake
  • Synmia Rosine as Gourmaybe Chef #1
Who's the director behind Maddie's Secret (2026)?
John Early directed Maddie's Secret (2026).
Who produced Maddie's Secret (2026)?
John Early, Luca Intili and Harris Mayersohn produced Maddie's Secret (2026).