In 2015, Chastain took on the part of a commander in the science fiction film 'The Martian.' The film also stars Matt Damon, who is stranded on Mars by a team of astronauts commanded by Chastain's character.
Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield star as the controversial televangelists Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker. Chastain also produced the film.
'Take Shelter' is a psychological thriller that explores themes of existential uncertainty, fear of death, and love. Chastain plays the dismayed wife of a husband who is haunted by a series of apocalyptic visions of a coming storm.
In 2012, she won a Golden Globe Award and received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for playing a CIA analyst in the thriller 'Zero Dark Thirty.'
One of her breakthrough roles was in the experimental drama 'The Tree of Life' as the loving mother of three children. She starred opposite Brad Pitt, and improvised several scenes and dialogue with him.
Inspired by a true story during the Prohibition Era, 'Lawless' follows a family gang that runs a bootlegging business in Virginia. Chastain plays a woman who fled Chicago only to wind up in a gang war.
2011 was a big year for Chastain. Her performance as an aspiring socialite in 'The Help' earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
This gothic romance by Guillermo del Toro had Chastain playing the villain of the film. Also featuring Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska, Chastain played her most hateful and egomaniacal character yet.
In this political thriller, Chastain portrays the kind of character she plays best: a strong, determined woman. The film follows a Washington lobbyist who fights in an attempt to pass gun control legislation.
The film tells the true story of Jan and Antonina Żabiński, who rescued hundreds of Polish Jews from the Germans by hiding them in their Warsaw zoo during World War II.
Starring Matthew McConaughey, 'Interstellar' tells the story of an astronaut who takes on a mission to travel through a wormhole near Saturn. McConaughey leaves behind his daughter, who grows up to become a successful NASA astronaut, played by Chastain.
After playing a series of intense roles, Chastain got a more light-hearted part as a warrior in the ensemble fantasy film 'The Huntsman: Winter's War.'
Chastain took on the role of another dark character in this superhero film. She played an evil alien in what marked the 12th installment in the X-Men franchise.
Costarring Oscar Isaac, this crime drama tells the story of the owner of a small heating-oil company who, after securing costly loans, gets his trucks hijacked. Chastain, who plays his wife, received critical acclaim for her performance.
In 2010, Chastain starred in the dramatic thriller 'The Debt', portraying a young Mossad agent sent to East Berlin in the '60s to capture a former Nazi doctor. She shared her role with Helen Mirren, portraying her younger version.
Chastain played the main character in the film adaptation of August Strindberg's 1888 play of the same name. It tells the tale of a repressed aristocrat who wishes to sleep with her father's valet, played by Colin Farrell.
Chastain plays one of the detectives in this crime film, inspired by true events surrounding the murders of women kidnapped from cities around Texas. The film competed in the 68th Venice International Film Festival.
In 'Mama,' Chastain took on the lead role of a musician who is forced to care for her boyfriend's troubled nieces. The horror film drew her away from the 'perfect mother' roles she had previously played.
Over the last decade, Chastain has risen as an important figure in Hollywood. She has excelled at playing strong and self-assured women while also bringing emotional vulnerability to her roles.
Sources: (Vulture) (MovieWeb) (Through The Clutter)
This Western film directed by Susanna White tells the story of Caroline Weldon (Chastain), a portrait painter who travels from New York City to the Dakotas to paint a portrait of Sitting Bull in 1890. Chastain's character becomes embroiled in the indigenous peoples' struggle over the rights to their land.
This female-led spy film stars Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Fan Bingbing, Diane Kruger, and Lupita Nyong'o as international spies who must work together to stop a terrorist organization from starting World War III.
After studying acting at the famed Juilliard School, she was signed to a talent holding deal, where she was a recurring guest star in several television series and stage productions. Chastain made her film debut in the drama 'Jolene' (2008).
Jessica Chastain is quite guarded about her personal life and often attends red carpet events solo. She is married to fashion executive Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, who is an Italian count from a noble family. The couple have two children and reside in New York.
Born and raised in Sacramento, California, Chastain developed an interest in acting from an early age. She made her professional stage debut in 1998 as Shakespeare's Juliet.
In 2021, Chastain reunited with Oscar Isaac in 'Scenes from a Marriage,' the English-language remake of Ingmar Bergman's 1973 miniseries of the same name. Both actors had undeniable chemistry.
Chastain produced and starred in the action film 'Ava,' which is about a professional assassin working for a black op organization. It performed poorly at the box office, but gained success on streaming platforms.
‘The Color of Time’ is an independent biographical drama film about the author C. K. Williams. The film was written and directed by 12 New York University film students, whose teacher was James Franco.
She won her first Oscar for her portrayal of Tammy Faye, taking home the statue for Best Actress. After thanking director Michael Showalter, co-star Andrew Garfield, and the movie’s hair and makeup team (who won an Oscar for transforming Chastain into Bakker), she took a more serious turn and spoke on how we “are coming out of some difficult times that have been filled with a lot of trauma and isolation.”
“Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States,” Chastain continued. “It’s touched many families. It’s touched mine and especially members of the LGBTQ community…. We’re faced with discriminatory and bigoted legislation that is sweeping our country with the only goal of further dividing us. There’s violence and hate crimes…. In times like this, I think of Tammy and I’m inspired by her radical acts of love.”
Chastain earned the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for her role in 'George & Tammy.' But on her way up to accept the award, she stumbled on her dress. Speaking to People later she said, "I tripped on the stairs—but I had two very handsome men helping me up so that wasn't so bad," she quipped. One of the men in question was none other than Paul Mescal. In her speech, marking her third SAG Award out of a total of five nominations, Chastain spoke of how she was inspired by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who once came to speak to her class in college and "encouraged us to keep going even when we felt like no one was watching us."
This film is based on the true story of former Olympic athlete Molly Bloom, who starts hosting poker games for celebrities and members of the elite. Chastain met with Bloom personally to better understand and explore her character's personality.
The actress has made a mark in fashion, often channeling old school Hollywood glam, shimmering looks, and rich colors. She has definitely proven to be a chameleon, both on screen and on the red carpet.
Throughout her career, Jessica Chastain has been a constant chameleon on the big screen and impressed us on the red carpet with her glamorous looks. From her breakthrough role in 'The Tree of Life' (2011) to her Oscar-winning performance in ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ (2021), Chastain has made an incredible mark in Hollywood.
In appreciation of the star, click through the following gallery for a peek into the career of Jessica Chastain.
In 2022 and 2023, she starred opposite Michael Shannon in this Showtime miniseries about the lives of country music couple.
In this hit Netflix series that aired in 2022, Chastain stars as a nurse who learns that her colleague, played by Eddie Redmayne, is responsible for the deaths of dozens of patients.
Jessica Chastain: the rise of a Hollywood star
The actress celebrates her 46th birthday on March 24
CELEBRITY Retrospective
Throughout her career, Jessica Chastain has been a constant chameleon on the big screen and impressed us on the red carpet with her glamorous looks. From her breakthrough role in 'The Tree of Life' (2011) to her Oscar-winning performance in ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ (2021), Chastain has made an incredible mark in Hollywood.
In appreciation of the star, click through the following gallery for a peek into the career of Jessica Chastain.