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Jessica Chastain Confirms She Is Not Attached to Star in Netflix’s Evelyn Hugo Movie
Jessica Chastain has confirmed that she is not involved with the upcoming The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo movie. In a video posted to social media, Chastain was asked to sign a copy of the Taylor Jenkins Reid novel while at the stage door for her production of A Doll’s House. For years, fans have campaigned for Chastain to play Celia St. James, a fellow actress who plays a key role in Evelyn Hugo’s life. Chastain declined the fan’s request to sign the book, saying “I can’t sign that, just because I’m not doing it,” and later took to Twitter to further explain why.
“I’ve been asked multiple times by fans, to sign books that I’m not attached to contractually,” Chastain explained. “Because it feels wrong, and like Im taking credit for someone else’s work, I’ll say I cant sign because I’m not doing it. That doesn’t mean I’ve read a bad script. I know how excited many you are about adaptations. Please dont read too much into a video. There is no news about anything. Except that I’m onstage until June 10th. Hope to see you #ADollsHouse“
I know how excited many you are about adaptations. Please dont read too much into a video. There is no news about anything. Except that I’m onstage until June 10th. Hope to see you ? #ADollsHouse
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) April 19, 2023
What is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo about?
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo follows reclusive Hollywood legend Evelyn Hugo, who chooses an unknown reporter, Monique Grant, to tell her life story. Evelyn recounts her time in the Golden Age of Hollywood, her rise to fame, and her seven marriages – revealing stunning secrets and lies. But through it all one question remains: Why has she chosen Monique for her final confession?
An adaptation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has been in the works in some capacity since 2019, with Freeform and Fox 21 Television Studios originally planning to develop it. That adaptation would have been written by Reid with Jennifer Beals and The L Word‘s Ilene Chaiken producing, but fell out when Freeform no longer owned the rights to the project in 2021.
Why is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo so popular?
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has been a bonafide hit since it was published in 2017, most recently thanks to the “BookTok” corner of TikTok, with hashtags and topics surrounding the novel gaining millions o views. The book recently spent 54 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller Paperback list.
“I just decided that what I wanted to do was tell a heartbreakingly honest story, and you might like Evelyn and you might not like her,” Reid explained in a 2017 interview with PopSugar. “My guess is most people, regardless of whether they like her or not, will respect her. That’s another thing that, as I get older, I’m realizing can be diametrically opposed when it comes to being a woman. Being likable and being respected are sometimes something we have to choose between. As I grow as a person, I’m trying to err towards the latter, that I would rather be respected than liked, and I think my characters are going in that direction.”
What do you think of Jessica Chastain setting the record straight on her involvement in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
