Taylor Jenkins Reid. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TheRetaility.com
Author Taylor Jenkins Reid published her novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in June 2017, and fans have been itching for a film adaptation ever since.
It seemed Netflix had come to the rescue in March 2022 when the streaming service acquired the rights to the movie — but no news on production. Few details have been released over the years and fans (especially the ones on BookTok) want answers about the film.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo follows the story of iconic 1950s Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo, who is now living as a recluse. The former actress taps journalist Monique Grant to write her biography — a story detailing her seven marriages. The novel explores what a same-sex relationship looked like during the golden age of Hollywood and even ends with a major twist, explaining why Evelyn chose this particular writer to tell her story.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about the movie so far:
What Happened With Director Leslye Headland?
In June 2023, Netflix announced that Headland was set to direct the film. However, she’s since stepped away.
“I am no longer working on that project. I remain a huge, huge fan of the book and of the people working on it. It’s one of those things where you know it’s going to be a huge success,” she told Variety in January 2025. “I thought, ‘Damn it. It’s not going to work out with me involved in it, but it is going to be wildly successful.’ It is the type of book that if I’d read it in my twenties, I would have had a completely different life. It’s so beautifully done.”
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It was previously reported that Little Fires Everywhere creator and showrunner Liz Tigelaar was on board to write the project with author Reid set to produce.
Who Is Starring in ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’?
Leslye Headland, Jessica Chastain, Taylor Jenkins Reid Getty Images (3)
No casting announcements have been made just yet. However, fans have hoped that Ana de Armas and Jessica Chastain (more on that in a bit) would take on the roles of Evelyn Hugo and Celia St. James, respectively.
What Happened With Jessica Chastain?
Chastain confirmed in December 2023, that despite fan speculation, there is “zero possibility” she will play Celia St. James.
“But I love how excited the fans are,” the actress told E! News at the time. “When I was working on Broadway, every single day, they’d be outside, when I was signing, with the books. I just love how wonderful that fan base is.”
She added, “I look forward to watching it and I’m sorry to disappoint everyone out there!”
Which of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Other Novels Have Been Adapted?
Reid’s 2016 novel One True Loves was adapted into a 2023 film starring Phillipa Soo, Simu Liu and Luke Bracey. The author also wrote Daisy Jones & The Six, which became a TV series in 2023, starring Riley Keough and Sam Claflin.
