Married at First Sight’s ‘hottest bride ever’ Evelyn Ellis completed her evolution from reality TV minnow to red carpet regular on Wednesday night.
The Chinese-Australian model turned heads in a crowd that included Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, Pip Edwards, Grace Tame, Emma McKeon, Asher Keddie, and Celeste Barber as she stepped out for Marie Claire’s Women of the Year Awards.
Even among the A-list crowd, Evelyn, 28, got her fair share of attention at the coveted event that sees exceptional women across all fields celebrated at Pier 2/3 Sydney.
The former marketing manager, who made her reality TV debut on the 17th season of Big Brother UK in 2016, flaunted her ample assets in a cut-out black gown that featured a tiny bandeau top and choker halter neck covered in crystals.
She piled her long hair into a sleek high bun and completed the look with a glowing face of glam makeup and matching chunky earrings.
‘My look was inspired by Swarovski. I was invited by them this year,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘They have been a dream brand for me to work with. Never in a million years after doing a MAFS, did I think that I’d be in a room with such amazing women.’
Evelyn said she wanted ‘to be bold and daring’ in her choice of dress.
‘At first I was a little bit scared because I thought it was too much, but then I had to remind myself that, you know, not to care what people think and just freaking rock it.
‘If I like the dress, I like the dress. I’m gonna do it. You know?’
Evelyn, who entered MAFS as an intruder contestant in 2023, became a favourite among viewers for her confidence and for calling out poor behaviour among the grooms.
Evelyn spent four hours preparing for the event.
‘I did feel sexy,’ she said. ‘ I only wear things that make me feel sexy.’
In 2016, the brunette beauty entered the Big Brother UK house as a 20-year-old ‘party girl’ and bar hostess out to stir up drama.
She told London publication The Daily Record she thought she’d come across as ‘intimidating and stuck up’ because she suffers from ‘chronic b**** face’.
In her second attempt at parlaying a reality TV appearance into an influencing career, the model took a drastically different approach. It worked.
For MAFS, an older and wiser Evelyn took more care with her image.
A behind-the-scenes video recorded by Daily Mail Australia showed Evelyn and her ‘husband’ Rupert Budgen filming their entrances multiple times to make sure they were just right.
Rupert was seen walking in and out of the ceremony no less than seven times, and it was only when he did his final take did he accidently drop his wedding ring – which gave the producers exactly what they needed for their ‘nervous groom’ storyline.
Moments later, Evelyn was spotted filming different versions of her grand entrance.
The model was seen looking miserable after she was asked to film a second take, and clearly did not expect she would have to do it more than once.
Despite making it all the way to Final Vows after coming into Married At First Sight as an intruder couple, Evelyn Ellis and Rupert Bugden decided to call it quits.
The mismatched duo agreed they weren’t right for each other and went their separate ways.
Viewers fell in love with the Sydneysider’s no-nonsense approach to the drama-filled series, and then ate up her accidental hard launch with fellow MAFS groom, Duncan James, with a steamy outing in a nightclub.
The couple have been going strong since.
While many aspiring influencers that emerge from the MAFS machine turn to OnlyFans, Evelyn has found success as a multi-hyphenate content creator, glossy mag cover girl and TV presenter.
The Australian reality star looked rather out of place as she walked the Cannes Film Festival red carpet earlier this year alongside bona fide A-listers, looking racy in a sheer green gown by designer Madoh.
Now, she’s an old hand and stood out among the 180 winners, nominees, and guests at Marie Claire’s big event.