The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a 2017 novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It's a frame story, describing the life and romantic exploits of fictional actress Evelyn Hugo, as well as detailing the inner turmoil of up-and-coming journalist Monique Grant.

Reid told Popsugar that the titular character was inspired by actresses like Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, and Ava Gardner, who hired a ghostwriter to help her compose an autobiography that got published after the two died. ^[1][2] She elaborated:

Reid took inspiration from the way Rita Hayward had to hide her Spanish roots, and a pivotal scene in the book, illustrating Harry Cameron's death, was heavily influenced by an experience where Elizabeth Taylor found a friend dead after a car accident.

^[1]

Reid also used her own knowledge of the film industry to build the life of Evelyn Hugo.

She told The Huffington Post:

Monique Grant is a journalist trying to make a name for herself at Vivant, a magazine based in New York City. One morning, her boss, Frankie, calls Monique into her office, saying that former actress Evelyn Hugo personally requested Monique for a special piece. Assuming it's about a charity event Evelyn is sponsoring, she expects to write a short editorial piece, but upon meeting Monique, Evelyn shares that she wants Monique to write her biography instead. Monique begins researching by watching Evelyn's films when she goes home, and is constantly reminded of her broken relationship with a former partner named David, who moved to San Francisco, California without her.

When Evelyn and Monique first sit down to start the interviews, Monique's first question is about who the love of Evelyn's life was.

She assumes it was the man she was married to the longest, Harry Cameron, but Evelyn denies it.

She doesn't answer the question, and tells Monique to go home, arranging a meeting the next day.

For the first time since David left, Monique returns to her apartment and doesn't dwell on their failed marriage, rather questioning who the love of Evelyn's life was.

The next day, Evelyn begins to share her story with Monique.

Her parents had come to America from Cuba in their teens, and she was born Evelyn Herrera.

Her mother dreamed of becoming a movie star, but died of pneumonia when Evelyn was eleven years old.

Her father was a physically abusive alcoholic, and Evelyn and her mother wanted to get away from him.

Evelyn's chance to do so came after puberty, when she met Ernie Diaz, who went on to become her first husband.

Ernie was moving to Hollywood to do lighting for movie sets, so Evelyn, who was fourteen, seduced him and convinced him to marry her. A few months after their wedding, the two went to Hollywood.

While in Hollywood, Evelyn frequented a café next to a film studio, which actors would visit between takes.

The owner got annoyed at how much time she spent there, so he insists that she becomes a waitress.

One day, when Evelyn was seventeen, up-and-coming producer Harry Cameron visits the café and offers Evelyn a deal with Sunset Studios after seeing her beauty.

Evelyn had a single line in her first movie, and began taking acting classes to improve her skill.

Over the next few months, Evelyn played three more small roles, and she asked Harry if she can try out for a leading role in a film called Love Isn't All. Harry was skeptical, claiming that her husband's Mexican last name, which she took in their marriage, would turn directors off. Evelyn tried speaking to Ari Sullivan, a casting director, and seduces him.

Shortly after, Harry and Ari discussed two roles with Evelyn: an Italian heiress and the role of Jo in an adaptation of Little Women. Evelyn insisted that she wanted to play Jo, but neither executive was convinced. They gave Evelyn a makeover, dyeing her hair blonde, and convinced her to adopt a stage name, Evelyn Hugo. To create buzz for her career, they set her up on a date with actor Don Adler, whose parents were also famous actors. They also pushed Evelyn to divorce Ernie so she could date other stars.

Evelyn ends the first day of interviewing, and Monique goes back home.

Her mother calls, telling Monique that she plans on visiting, and that she sent a package of photos that Monique's deceased father took on movie sets.

Monique tells her mother about the biography.

The next day, Evelyn begins to discuss her relationship with Don Adler.

The two began dating after Evelyn starred in a few more movies, initially just to get Evelyn publicity, but they eventually fell in love and Don proposed to her at one of his movie premieres.

When Evelyn was nineteen, the two married at a ceremony mostly planned by Don's parents.

At the wedding, Harry hinted to Evelyn that he is gay, but wouldn't say it outright.

Two months after the nuptials, Don became physically abusive, partially because his movies weren't getting the expected critical acclaim.

He got insecure as Evelyn became more successful, and the first time he hit her was after she refused to stop acting to have children with him.

Don apologized for hitting her, and she accepted it, since her father never apologized for his abuse.

Harry announced to Evelyn that she would finally be starring in Little Women, alongside Ruby Reilly, Joy Nathan, and Hollywood newcomer Celia St. James. Evelyn and Ruby got insecure at Celia's casting, fearing that she would overshadow them, and spoke poorly of her to each other. Evelyn even asks Harry if he can get Ari to fire Celia. One morning before she went to set, Evelyn and Don's maid saw a large bruise on Evelyn's side that Don made, but didn't say anything or try to stop the abuse.

Monique returns home and sees that the package of her father's photos arrived to her apartment.

She thinks back to advice that he gave her before his death, telling her to pursue her biggest passion, and she reminisces on her experiences with journalism and bigotry as a biracial woman.

Evelyn continues her story the next morning, saying that she went out to get milkshakes with Celia during filming one day.

Celia tried to convince her to go to a popular restaurant, and Evelyn knew that Celia was trying to use her for publicity.

She made Celia go to a lesser-known restaurant, making a statement about her inability to effectively use people.

Celia admitted that she knew Evelyn tried to get her fired, and agreed to giving her acting lessons in exchange for public hangouts.

She also insisted that she would become Evelyn's second-best friend, after Harry.

Evelyn and Don's maid sold a story to the press, claiming that Evelyn was a slob and deeply upset Don by refusing to have children.

During a meeting with Harry, Evelyn came up with a plan to have a doctor call her house and claim Evelyn suffered a miscarriage, in an attempt to make it look like she was trying to get pregnant with Don's child.

Evelyn fired the maid, and the maid sold another story about the "miscarriage," which garnered public sympathy and attention for Evelyn and Don.

Evelyn wanted to celebrate her repaired reputation, so she invited Celia over for a night of drinking, bonding, and listening to Billie Holiday. Inspired by Billie's stage name, Evelyn told Celia that her real name is Evelyn Herrera, and Celia admitted her real name was Celia Jamison. Celia also confessed that she found Evelyn beautiful, calling her "the most gorgeous woman who had ever been created." Celia spilled wine on her shirt and Evelyn offered her a blouse that didn't fit her properly, her eyes lingering as Celia changed.

Evelyn and Celia went on a double date to the Little Women premiere, and Don got annoyed that interviewers were asking Evelyn about Celia rather than him. The group attended an afterparty at Ari's house, and Ruby Reilly pulled Evelyn into an empty room to complain about Celia. Evelyn defended Celia, and Ruby tried to turn her against her by revealing that Celia is a lesbian, as well as announcing that Don was cheating in another room.

Evelyn and Monique stop the interview to order dinner, and Monique once again asks Evelyn who the love of her life was.

Evelyn admits that it was Celia, and Monique asks if she wants to come out as a "gay woman" in the biography.

Evelyn gets angry, saying, "I’m bisexual.

Don’t ignore half of me so you can fit me into a box, Monique.

Don’t do that."

Monique apologizes and prompts Evelyn to continue the story.

After Ruby left Evelyn alone in the room, Celia came in to see if she was okay.

Evelyn asked her about her sexuality, and Celia worried that she wanted to stop being friends because of it.

Evelyn grabbed Celia's wrist and kissed her, then Celia left and Evelyn confronted Don for cheating on her.

Harry took Evelyn to his apartment so she wouldn't have to be around Don.

On the ride to his apartment, Evelyn confessed that she had feelings for Celia, and decided that she would divorce Don.

The next morning, Harry drove Evelyn to the home she shared with Don.

Celia was waiting on her doorstep, trying to deny her homosexuality, but Evelyn admitted her feelings for Celia and packed her belongings to leave the house.

She moved into Celia's apartment and began taking up more domestic activities, like cooking, which she never had to do because of the maid.

Harry came over with divorce papers for Evelyn, and revealed that part of Don's agreement for the divorce was that she would get half of his money along with the house, as long as she didn't speak to any media outlets about their marriage.

Harry also informed Evelyn that Don was trying to sabotage her career, force her out of Sunset Studios, and get her blackballed from O scar nominations. After Harry left, Evelyn confessed to Celia that she was in love with her, and the two had sex for the first time.

Monique asks Evelyn about her experience with the divorce and opens up about her own situation, in which she is waiting on an official divorce from David.

Features include...