When a young Katharine Hepburn loses her beloved brother, she makes two decisions: she will become famous, and she will never let anyone hurt her again. Leaving home at 21 to pursue an acting career, Kate is lured to Hollywood, accompanied by her lover, Laura. Los Angeles in the early 1930s is a town full of secrets, and Kate has plenty to hide. Soon she is scooped into the studio system and launched as a star. But stars must play by the rules, and Kate --- brilliant, bisexual and strong-willed --- refuses to conform. Surrounded by a legendary circle of intimates, Kate navigates a web of sex, ambition and betrayal. As her career ascends, she faces an agonizing choice: be the star everyone wants her to be, or risk everything to become the woman she always was.