Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (2024)

There are certain authors I keep coming back to because you can trust that when it comes to writing a story, they will engage you from beginning to end.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of those authors, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was the first book of hers I ever read.

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (1)

I think you will see why it kicked off a need to read everything else she has written too!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a Beautiful Book

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (2)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

ISBN: 9788416517275

Society has long been obsessed with the lives and scandals of Hollywood and its stars.

You only have the look at the popularity of the Kardashians, the ultimate example of those who are famous for being famous, to know it’s as true today as it was at the beginning of Cinema.

The rise of the internet and instant news has made Old Hollywood “faked” relationships harder to pull off. Still, the public’s insatiable need to consume and devour anything and everything about their idols has been around since the Golden Age of Cinema starting back in the late 1920s.

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (3)

A New York Times Best Seller, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo follows a fictitious bombshell of a movie star through those different worlds of Hollywood from the Fifties to the Eighties, and the husbands she gathered along the way.

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I confirm here she IS fictitious because author Taylor Jenkins Reid did such a good job in building the character of Evelyn Hugo that one of the most asked questions about the book is “Is Evelyn Hugo real?”. Sadly, no, but it is so easy to believe she is (and really, to wish she was).

Though she herself isn’t real, the influences of icons like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor are plain to see.

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (4)

The book almost feels like an imagining of where they might have ended if they had continued their careers into their old age, transitioning from the young ingenue to the sexy siren to something else entirely.

So few actresses in real life are ever able to hang on to popularity that long that it is endlessly captivating to read about one who has (imagined or not).

As with other Taylor Jenkin Reids novels, her writing is first-rate and highly readable. What feels like a story that might be straightforward in its telling is anything but due to her expert craftsmanship in laying out the plot, characters, and keeping you engaged.

You know there is a secret to be revealed and even still, you are smacked down at the end with what it is.

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (5)

I don’t want to spoil the ending here for those who want to read this highly worthwhile book. I will just say though that having read a ton of books that work hard to make you care about their ending only to squander it on something cliche, this book is not that.

It’s a satisfying and highly enjoyable read from beginning to end, though not without its sad and poignant moments. Its strongest message is how pointless it is to live for anyone other than yourself, and that’s a message I can support.

I strongly recommend you read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and see for yourself!

Who Were Evelyn Hugo’s Husbands?

As the title of the novel suggests, Evelyn was married seven times in total. In all that time though, she only had one true love. Here are all of Evelyn Hugo’s husbands in order from first to last.

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (6)

Husband Number One: Ernie Diaz. Evelyn marries him at fourteen in order to get her first break into Hollywood.

Husband Number Two: Don Adler. A huge movie star who helps her career in public, but abuses her in private.

Husband Number Three: Mick Riva. Evelyn marries him to protect her career against the scandal of her real love, though she quickly leaves him to go back to her lover.

Husband Number Four: Rex North. A co-actor on a movie they need to ensure is a hit, they get married as a publicity stunt.

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Husband Number Five: Harry Cameron. The one who discovered her and her oldest friend, he is gay and they marry to help protect them both.

Husband Number Six: Max Gerard. A Hollywood film director who she marries to forget about her real love and lover

Husband Number Seven: Robert Jamison. The older brother of Celia St. James, whom she marries so that Celia can leave Evelyn her estate when she dies.

And finally…

Her one true love: Celia St. James. Her lesbian lover on-and-off for years until Celia dies of the long-term effects of smoking. They are together and living a simple life in Spain when it happens.

Will The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Be a Movie?

After a false start with being adapted by the production company Freeform, the author Taylor Jenkins Reid confirmed that the movie would be adapted on another platform. Whether that means Netflix, Hulu, or what is anybody’s guess at this point, we do know it is definitely in the works!

In the meantime, fans are having a field day speculating on casting for the film, especially the husbands! Only time will tell if they got any of this dream casting for the Seven Husbands right.

Looking for More Books?

If you are looking for more great books, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo also makes my 5 of the Best Books to Read on a Beach Vacation list. Check it out for more options!

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (7)

Looking to make reading a more regular thing? Why not start a book club! Check out my article on How to Form a Book Club for tips on creating the ideal club for your lifestyle.

Did you read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? What did you think?

Leave a comment below, as I would love to hear your thoughts about what you did (or didn’t) like about it!

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? (2024)

FAQs

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a True Story? ›

The story follows the extraordinary life of fictional Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo and it is loosely inspired by the real lives of actresses Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor DBE (27 February 1932 – 23 March 2011) was a British and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Elizabeth_Taylor
-- who got married eight times to seven different men, and Ava Gardner- who shared her life secrets with a journalist and it was later published as 'Ava Gardner: ...

Is Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo based on a true story? ›

According to Reid, Evelyn is loosely based in part on actresses Elizabeth Taylor, who was married eight times to seven different men, and Ava Gardner, who revealed the secrets of her life to a journalist, who published them in Ava Gardner: The Secret Conversations.

Will The 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo be a movie? ›

Reid's bestselling book, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, will be adapted for the big screen by Netflix, the streaming service announced in March 2022. The book was published in 2017 but found a resurgence in popularity in 2021 after it went viral on TikTok.

Who is the story behind The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? ›

Hugo comes from a poor background, but marries the first of her many husbands in order to move to Hollywood and pursue her career. The novel spans over the entirety of Hugo's life, and revolves around the circumstances surrounding each of her marriages.

Who is Celia based on The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? ›

James was one of the most famous actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age, and considered one of the most talented of that generation. She is also a main character and the primary love interest of the novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins-Reid.

How accurate are The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? ›

Reid is said to have loosely based the character of Evelyn Hugo on Elizabeth Taylor, who married seven different men; Ava Gardner, who revealed secrets about her past to British journalist and eventual biographer Peter Evans; and Rita Hayworth, who had a Spanish background but was convinced to change her name and ...

Is Evelyn Hugo based on Lana Turner? ›

Taylor Jenkins Reid There was no *one* Hollywood actress that Evelyn Hugo is based on. She has a little Liz Taylor, a little Rita Hayworth, a little Lana Turner, and little Brigitte Bardot. But she's mostly her own person.

Was Evelyn Hugo's father abusive? ›

In a sense, selfish, arrogant, dominating, and abusive men define the trajectory of the first decades of her life. Her father not only abuses her physically, but she has reason to believe he may sexually assault her if she stays at home.

How did Celia give Evelyn a baby? ›

Chapter 40

Evelyn assures her she is enough. Celia agrees that she can have the baby, and they have sex. Evelyn says that, in giving herself to Evelyn, Celia gave her a baby.

What is the moral of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? ›

In the end, it's through Evelyn's deepest relationships that she learns what her true morals are: love, respect, and honesty—and that honoring these morals gives her far more satisfaction than wealth or success.

What disease does Celia St. James have? ›

Toward the end of her life, Celia asks Evelyn to move to a small town in Spain with her, where they can live anonymously and be together romantically in their later years. Not long after retiring to Spain, Celia dies of a pulmonary disease.

Do Evelyn and Celia sleep together? ›

She goes into the bedroom where Celia's getting dressed after a shower and tells her she loves her. She pulls Celia's robe open, and the two have sex for the first time. Though Harry and Evelyn's friendship began as a professional relationship, it's clear now that their friendship transcends work.

What is the main problem in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? ›

Throughout The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Evelyn struggles to become a star and create and control the public's perception of her while suppressing her true self. From the first moment she sets her sights on Hollywood, Evelyn begins to lie about who she is in order to pursue her dream of being a star.

Is Evelyn Evelyn based on a true story? ›

Evelyn Evelyn are a fictional musical duo created by Amanda Palmer (of The Dresden Dolls) and Jason Webley. According to the backstory provided by Palmer and Webley, the duo consists of conjoined twin sisters (aka "Eva" and "Lyn"), Evelyn and Evelyn Neville, who were discovered in 2007 by Palmer and Webley.

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a banned book? ›

On this episode of Culture Rich Conversations from Juneau's Black Awareness Association, host Christina Michelle and her guest, Angelica Fields-Morgan, have a discussion about the banned book, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” by author Taylor Jenkins Reid.

What happened to Celia St. James? ›

Toward the end of her life, Celia asks Evelyn to move to a small town in Spain with her, where they can live anonymously and be together romantically in their later years. Not long after retiring to Spain, Celia dies of a pulmonary disease.

Is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a tragedy? ›

But I DO 100% think her whole life story is tragic. She never ever had anyone to rely on or genuinely talk to except for harry who died later on. Her husbands never wanted her because of who she truly is.

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