Jessica Chastain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jessica Chastain
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Chastain in 2016
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Jessica Michelle Chastain
March 24, 1977 Sacramento, California, U.S.
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| Education | American Academy of Dramatic Arts Juilliard School (BFA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
| Organization | Freckle Films |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo
(m. 2017) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
Jessica Michelle Chastain (born March 24, 1977) is an American actress and producer. She is known for starring in movies that often have themes about women's strength. She has won many awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Time magazine even named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012.
Jessica became interested in acting when she was young. She first performed on stage in 1998 as Shakespeare's Juliet. After studying acting at the Juilliard School, she signed a special agreement with TV producer John Wells. She appeared in several TV shows and stage plays. Her first movie role was in 2008 in Jolene. In 2011, she became very well-known with six movies released. These included Take Shelter and The Tree of Life. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her roles in The Help (2011) and Zero Dark Thirty (2012).
Later, she found more success in science fiction movies like Interstellar (2014) and The Martian (2015). She also starred in the horror film It Chapter Two (2019). Jessica received more praise for playing strong women in movies like A Most Violent Year (2014), Miss Sloane (2016), and Molly's Game (2017). She also starred in the TV miniseries Scenes from a Marriage (2021). In 2021, she played Tammy Faye Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress. She then played Tammy Wynette in the miniseries George & Tammy (2022).
On Broadway, Jessica has starred in plays like The Heiress (2012) and A Doll's House (2023). She was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in A Doll's House. Jessica also started her own production company, Freckle Films. This company aims to support different voices in movies. She also invests in the soccer club Angel City FC. Jessica often speaks out about mental health, and about fairness for all genders and races. She is married to fashion executive Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, and they have two children.
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Growing Up and Education
Jessica Michelle Chastain was born on March 24, 1977, in Sacramento, California. Her mother was Jerri Renee Hastey, and her father was rock musician Michael Monasterio. Jessica has said she didn't have a close relationship with her father. She has two sisters and two brothers. Jessica was raised in Sacramento by her mother and stepfather, Michael Hastey, who was a firefighter. She feels very close to her grandmother, Marilyn, who always believed in her.
Jessica became interested in acting at age seven. Her grandmother took her to see a play called Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She often put on plays with other children and enjoyed being the director. When she was a student at El Camino Fundamental High School in Sacramento, Jessica found school challenging. She felt like an outsider but found her place in performing arts. She loved reading Shakespeare's plays. She didn't finish high school in the usual way but later earned her diploma. She then attended Sacramento City College from 1996 to 1997. She remembered her childhood as difficult, saying her single mother worked very hard to provide for them.
In 1998, Jessica finished her studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She made her first professional stage appearance as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. This led her to audition for the Juilliard School in New York City. She was accepted and received a scholarship funded by actor Robin Williams. In her first year, Jessica felt worried about her acting. But a successful play called The Seagull in her second year helped her feel more confident. She graduated from Juilliard in 2003 with a degree in fine arts.
Early Career (2004–2010)
Before graduating, Jessica signed a special agreement with TV producer John Wells. She moved to Los Angeles and started trying out for roles. She found it hard at first because people didn't know how to cast her unique look. Her first TV role was in 2004 in a pilot for Dark Shadows. The show was never picked up. Later that year, she appeared in the medical drama ER. She also appeared in other TV shows like Veronica Mars (2004) and Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005–06).
In 2004, Jessica acted in a play called The Cherry Orchard in Massachusetts. She also worked on another play, Rodney's Wife. While working on Rodney's Wife, she was recommended to Al Pacino. He was looking for an actress for his play Salome. Jessica was cast as Salome, even though the character was 16 and Jessica was 29. The play was performed in 2006 in Los Angeles. Jessica said this role helped many casting directors notice her.
Jessica's first movie role was in 2008 in Jolene. Critics praised her performance. She won a Best Actress award at the Seattle International Film Festival. In 2009, she had a small role in the movie Stolen. Also in 2009, she played Desdemona in Shakespeare's play Othello.
In 2010, Jessica starred in the thriller The Debt. She played a young Mossad agent in the 1960s. She shared the role with Helen Mirren, playing the character at different ages. They worked together to make their performances consistent. Jessica took German classes and learned Krav Maga. Critics called the film a "smart, tense, well-acted thriller". She also appeared in an episode of the British TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot.
Becoming Famous (2011–2013)
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After working hard for a breakthrough, Jessica had six movies released in 2011. She gained wide recognition for many of them. One role was as the wife of Michael Shannon's character in Take Shelter. This drama was about a father trying to protect his family from a coming storm. Her next role was in Coriolanus, based on a Shakespearean play. She then starred with Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life. Jessica played a loving mother of three children. She improvised many scenes and dialogues for this film. The movie won the top award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
Jessica's biggest success of 2011 was the drama The Help. She starred with Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Emma Stone. Jessica played Celia Foote, a woman in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, who becomes friends with her Black maid. Jessica was drawn to Celia's anti-racist views. The Help earned $216 million at the box office. Critics praised Jessica's performance. The cast of The Help won a Screen Actors Guild Award. Jessica was nominated for several Best Supporting Actress awards, including an Academy Award.
Her other roles in 2011 included Wilde Salomé and Texas Killing Fields. Her performances in 2011 won her many awards from critics. In 2012, two of Jessica's films premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. These were the animated comedy Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and the crime drama Lawless. In Madagascar 3, she voiced Gia the Jaguar. This film earned $747 million globally, making it her highest-grossing movie. In Lawless, she played a dancer involved in a conflict between three brothers.
Jessica made her Broadway debut in 2012 in a play called The Heiress. She played Catherine Sloper, a shy young girl who becomes a strong woman. The play was a success.
Jessica's last film of 2012 was Kathryn Bigelow's thriller Zero Dark Thirty. It tells the story of the search for Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Jessica played Maya Harris, a CIA intelligence analyst. She couldn't meet the real analyst, so she used research from the film's writer. The difficult topic made filming hard for her. Zero Dark Thirty received great reviews. Critics praised Jessica's acting range. She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama. She was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
In 2013, Jessica starred in the horror film Mama. She played a musician who cares for her boyfriend's nieces. She liked playing a character different from the "perfect mother" roles she had before. Critics praised her performance. During its opening weekend, Jessica became the first actress in 15 years to have leading roles in the top two movies at the box office (Mama and Zero Dark Thirty). She then starred in and produced the drama The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (2013). She played a woman dealing with a sad event. Three versions of the film were released.
Career Growth (2014–2020)
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Jessica appeared in three movies in 2014. She played the main character in Miss Julie. While filming, she received the script for Christopher Nolan's science fiction film Interstellar (2014). This big movie, starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, was filmed using IMAX cameras. Jessica played the adult daughter of McConaughey's character. She liked the emotional story of the father and daughter. Interstellar earned over $701 million worldwide, making it her highest-grossing live-action film.
Her last movie of 2014 was the crime drama A Most Violent Year. Set in New York City in 1981, it tells the story of a heating-oil company owner and his strong wife (Jessica). She researched the time period and worked on her accent. Critics found Jessica "terrific" in her role. She received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
In 2015, Jessica played a commander in Ridley Scott's science fiction film The Martian. She starred with Matt Damon, who played a botanist stuck on Mars. Jessica met with astronauts to prepare for her role. The Martian also earned over $600 million. Jessica then starred in the gothic romance Crimson Peak. She played a woman who plans with her brother to scare his new wife.
After many serious roles, Jessica looked for a lighter part. She found it in the fantasy film The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016). She liked playing a warrior who was as strong as the male lead. However, the film was not successful. Jessica then starred as a lobbyist in the political thriller Miss Sloane. She researched lobbying and met with female lobbyists. Critics called her "one of the best actresses on the planet". She received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. Also in 2016, Jessica started her production company, Freckle Films, run by women.
In 2017, Jessica was an executive producer and narrator for the documentary I Am Jane Doe. She wanted to work with more female filmmakers. She starred in two movies directed by women: The Zookeeper's Wife and Woman Walks Ahead. In The Zookeeper's Wife, she played a real-life Polish zookeeper who saved lives during World War II. In Woman Walks Ahead, she played 19th-century activist Catherine Weldon. Jessica wanted to play a role that could inspire young girls.
Jessica played Molly Bloom, a former skier who ran a high-stakes gambling operation, in Molly's Game (2017). She wanted to work with writer-director Aaron Sorkin. She met Molly Bloom to understand her character better. She also researched underground poker. Critics called her role "one of the screen's great female parts". She received her fifth Golden Globe nomination for it. In 2018, she hosted Saturday Night Live.
In the superhero film Dark Phoenix (2019), Jessica played an evil alien. The film did not do well at the box office. She then reunited with director Andy Muschietti in It Chapter Two, the sequel to his 2017 horror film It. She played the adult Beverly Marsh, a woman facing difficult situations. Filming was challenging, as it used many practical effects. The film received good reviews and earned over $470 million worldwide.
Under Freckle Films, Jessica produced and starred in the action film Ava (2020). The film did not do well in theaters but was successful on demand.
Recent Success and Television (2021–Present)
Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain starred as TV preachers Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker in the movie The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021). Jessica had owned the rights to Faye's life story since 2012 and produced the film. To look like Bakker, Jessica wore special makeup that took hours to apply. She also had to sing for the role, which made her nervous. Critics praised Jessica's "riveting" performance. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress, Critics Choice Award, and SAG Award.
Also in 2021, Jessica starred in Scenes from a Marriage for HBO. This was a remake of a 1973 Swedish miniseries. Critics noted the great chemistry between Jessica and her co-star Oscar Isaac. She received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Miniseries. She also starred with Ralph Fiennes in The Forgiven.
For The 355 (2022), a spy film with a female lead, Jessica and her co-stars pitched the idea at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Critics found the film unremarkable, and it did not do well commercially. Jessica then had a brief role as Maryanne Trump in Armageddon Time. In The Good Nurse, she played nurse Amy Loughren. She worked closely with the real Amy Loughren and attended nursing school to prepare for the part.
Jessica executive produced the Showtime miniseries George & Tammy. She played country singer Tammy Wynette opposite Michael Shannon's George Jones. Jessica and Michael trained with a vocal coach to sing their characters' songs. Critics praised the chemistry between the actors and Jessica's portrayal. The series had many viewers. She won a SAG Award and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Jessica returned to Broadway in 2023, playing Nora Helmer in A Doll's House. The play ran for 16 weeks and was very popular. Critics called Jessica's performance "enthralling" and "captivating". She won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Jessica also appeared in the independent drama film Memory.
In 2024, Jessica produced and starred with Anne Hathaway in Mothers' Instinct. She will also star in the upcoming film Dreams and the Apple TV+ miniseries The Savant. Jessica will also reunite with Al Pacino in Lear Rex, playing Goneril.
Advocacy and Causes
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Jessica Chastain is a feminist. She often speaks out against unfair treatment of women and minorities in Hollywood. In 2015, she wrote an essay about the lack of gender balance in the film industry. At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where she was a jury member, Jessica said she was concerned about how women were shown in most films. She believes there should be more female film critics to offer different viewpoints. She also supports having more women working on film crews and in powerful positions. In 2018, she worked with 300 women in Hollywood to start the Time's Up initiative. This group helps protect women from unfair treatment. She also supports LGBT rights. When she won her Academy Award in 2022, she spoke out against laws that harm the LGBT community.
Jessica is a strong supporter of equal pay for equal work. She turns down job offers if the pay is unfair. She supported actress Michelle Williams, who was paid less than her male co-star for a film. This helped raise awareness and led to a large donation to a legal fund. In 2013, Jessica supported the Got Your 6 campaign, which helps U.S. Army veterans. In 2016, she joined the advisory board of We Do It Together, an organization that makes films and TV shows to empower women. In 2017, she performed in The Children's Monologues to raise money for a charity that helps African children pursue arts careers. In 2020, Jessica became an investor in a women's soccer team in Los Angeles, now called Angel City FC.
Jessica supports charities that help with mental health. She is involved with the organization To Write Love on Her Arms. She was teased as a child for her red hair and freckles, so she speaks out against body-shaming and bullying.
In 2022, Jessica traveled to Kyiv in Ukraine during the war. She visited a children's hospital and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Jessica also supported the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike by actors. In 2023, she signed an open letter calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war.
Personal Life
Jessica Chastain keeps her personal life private. She prefers not to attend red carpet events with a partner. She describes herself as a "shy" person. She enjoys quiet activities like walking her dog and playing the ukulele. She admires actress Isabelle Huppert for balancing family life with her acting career.
She loves animals and has adopted a rescue dog. Jessica was raised by a vegan chef mother. She was a pescatarian (eating fish but no other meat) for most of her life. Later, for health reasons, she became a vegan. She invests in Beyond Meat, a company that makes plant-based meat substitutes.
In 2012, Jessica started dating Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo. He is an Italian count and a fashion executive. On June 10, 2017, Jessica married Gian Luca at his family's estate in Carbonera, Italy. In 2018, they had a daughter named Giulietta through surrogacy. They later had a son named Augustus. They live in New York City.
Movies, Shows, and Awards
Some of Jessica Chastain's most praised and successful films include Take Shelter (2011), The Tree of Life (2011), The Help (2011), Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Mama (2013), Interstellar (2014), A Most Violent Year (2014), The Martian (2015), Miss Sloane (2016), Molly's Game (2017), and It Chapter Two (2019).
On stage, she has appeared in Broadway plays like The Heiress (2012) and A Doll's House (2023). Her TV roles include the miniseries Scenes from a Marriage (2021) and George & Tammy (2022).
Jessica won an Academy Award for Best Actress for The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021). She was also nominated for an Academy Award for The Help and Zero Dark Thirty. She won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for Zero Dark Thirty. She has received many other Golden Globe nominations. Jessica was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for A Doll's House. She also earned her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for George & Tammy.
See also
In Spanish: Jessica Chastain para niños
