Anna Kendrick is preparing to swap the microphone for the director’s chair once again, and this time she is stepping into the glamorous, complicated and secret-filled world of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
Kendrick described herself as “over the moon” about directing Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel. After making her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, the actress is now taking on a story packed with Hollywood fame, romance, betrayal and enough husbands to keep the gossip department permanently employed.
But while Kendrick is preparing to direct a story about complicated Hollywood relationships, she also opened up about one of the most rewarding relationships she has gained from Hollywood — her longtime friendships with her Pitch Perfect co-stars.
From Barden Bellas to Hollywood Director
Kendrick’s excitement over The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is understandable. The Netflix adaptation is based on Reid’s 2017 novel about aging Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo, who agrees to tell the story of her seven marriages to a young journalist while revealing secrets about her life and career.
Kendrick will direct the film from a script by Liz Tigelaar, with Francesca Sloane handling current revisions. Reid is also attached as an executive producer, although Netflix has not yet announced the cast playing Evelyn Hugo, Monique Grant or the seven husbands.
For Kendrick, this means another major opportunity to prove that her talents extend well beyond acting. After directing Woman of the Hour, she now gets to call the shots on a story where the words “seven husbands” alone could probably guarantee several emergency meetings with the costume and relationship departments.
And if Hollywood drama is what she wanted, Evelyn Hugo appears to have arrived carrying an entire suitcase of it.
The “Pitch Perfect” Girls Are Her Avengers
While discussing her career, Kendrick also reflected on the friendships she formed while making the Pitch Perfect films.
She described the women from the franchise as family and compared the way they rally around one another to the Avengers assembling whenever someone needs help. Kendrick explained that when someone in their group chat is going through something difficult, the immediate reaction is essentially: who is going over to her house, what needs to be done and how can everyone help?
That friendship has apparently survived years of filming, busy careers and everyone growing into different stages of life. Kendrick said she feels incredibly grateful that the women remained part of her life, particularly because she considers herself someone who can sometimes have a “hard shell.”
In other words, the Barden Bellas may have stopped singing together on screen, but their group chat apparently remains fully operational. Somewhere, an emergency text is being sent and the unofficial Avengers are already deciding who is bringing snacks.
Kendrick Looks Back at the “Pitch Perfect” Phenomenon
Kendrick also pushed back against what she described as “revisionist history” surrounding the original Pitch Perfect. She said the movie did well but was not initially the huge box-office phenomenon people sometimes remember it as today.
The film eventually found a much bigger audience and became an important part of Kendrick’s career. She credited the success of the franchise with helping her get other projects made, saying some opportunities may not have happened without Pitch Perfect.
One particularly unforgettable moment was the unexpected success of the “Cups” song from the film. Kendrick recalled being asked to record a full-length version and make a music video, something she initially thought was a strange use of money. The song went on to become a major hit, making her the owner of a platinum record she jokingly compared to something that might belong in Snoop Dogg’s house.
So while Kendrick is now preparing to direct a serious Hollywood adaptation filled with secrets and complicated relationships, she has not forgotten the musical comedy that helped reshape her career.
And with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo waiting for her behind the camera, Kendrick appears ready for another Hollywood chapter — while her Pitch Perfect sisters remain on standby like the world’s most musical emergency-response team.
If Evelyn Hugo has seven husbands, Anna Kendrick has apparently got an entire Barden Bella Avengers squad behind her. Hollywood may want to prepare accordingly.
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