Jessica Chastain

Jessica Michelle Chastain (born March 24, 1977) is an American actress and producer known for starring primarily in projects with feminist themes. Chastain developed an interest in acting early on, making her professional stage debut in 1998 as Shakespeare's Juliet. After studying acting at the Juilliard School, she kick-started her acting career with a talent holding deal with television producer John Wells. Chastain was a recurring guest star in several television series before making her film debut at age 31 in the drama 'Jolene' (2008). Her breakthrough came in 2011 with six film releases, including the dramas 'Take Shelter' and 'The Tree of Life'. She also received Academy Award nominations for her roles in 'The Help' (2011) and 'Zero Dark Thirty' (2012). Chastain has continued to deliver strong performances with films such as 'Interstellar' (2014), 'The Martian' (2015), and more recently in the drama series 'Scenes from a Marriage' (2021). She portrayed Tammy Faye Bakker in 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' (2021), winning the Academy Award for Best Actress, and Tammy Wynette in the miniseries 'George & Tammy' (2022). Chastain, apart from her acting career, is the founder of the production company Freckle Films, which was created to promote diversity in film. She is vocal about mental health issues and advocates for gender and racial equality.