'Babylon' follows a group of characters as they try to survive the changing environment of Hollywood. Elinor St. John is a gossip columnist who holds in her pen the power of influencing someone's destiny.
Is Elinor St. John a Real Person?
Damien Chazelle, a writer-director, referred to a number of writers and columnists from the 1960s and 1970s as "Woman," according to Smart. Elinor St. John was inspired by Elinor Glyn, a fictional writer who wrote and gossiped about the subject.
Glyn is well-known for rewriting 'It,' which was later transformed into a film starring Clara Bow, leading to the term "the it girl." One of her novels, titled 'Three Weeks,' might have been a remake of '50 Shades of Grey,' which later gained notoriety.
Clara Bow was consulted while attempting to change her appearance in 'Babylon,' which she did for Elinor in 'Babylon,' and became 'the it girl' that Glyn created in her story. "Glyn was employed by Hollywood to suppress the excess and sexuality of the vampire,' Nickianne Moody stated.
Smart called her an "unconventional person" and noted that for a "woman in the entertainment industry at the time..." she wanted something that would enliven her mind and give her something new to write about. 'You see towards the end that she's also caught up in the magic of filmmaking," the 'Hacks' actress said, particularly about her monologue in the film.
Smart noted that the film's focus on Hollywood's wild side at the time might make people question whether all of it is true, which is what she wondered about when she read the script. "I think what we see in these films is based on reality," she continued.
