10 Facts to Know About Jessica Chastain
From noble lineage to celebrity BFFs, here are all the facts to know about the Hollywood actress.
Born in Sacramento, California, Jessica Chastain rose to Hollywood prominence with high-profile roles and top-notch acting skills. After studying in New York City at the Juilliard School, Chastain began her acting career with stints on Law & Order: Trial by Jury and The Cherry Orchard. The actress's big-screen break came in the 2008 film, Jolene, where Chastain portrayed a 15-year-old orphan breaking free from foster care. Since her film debut, Chastain has cemented herself as a force to be reckoned with within the entertainment industry.
Whether it be Zero Dark Thirty or The Help, the star has proved an immense ability to take on a variety of complex characters. Not only dominating the screens, but Chastain has also won a variety of accolades and awards at the industry's biggest events. In 2012, the actress won a Golden Globe Award for Zero Dark Thirty and has been nominated for various other film appearances. Learn more about the actress below with 10 things you didn't know about her.
Both starring in the blockbuster film The Help, Chastain and Octavia Spencer became fast friends off the screen. In 2018, Spencer revealed that Chastain helped her receive equal pay after she was offered five times less than her white counterparts for a comedy film.
When Chastain first attended Juilliard and began acting, she experienced bouts of anxiety and depression. Since then, the actress has been involved with several non-profits, most notably To Write Love on Her Arms. Coupled with her own experience, Chastain began to be involved in mental health advocacy after her sister's suicide and currently works to advance causes related to the field.
While in high school, Chastain joined the drama club and delved into a bevy of iconic plays and playwrights. A self-proclaimed "Shakespeare Geek," the actress fell in love with the writer's work after visiting a Shakespeare Festival with her class.
In 2007, the actress converted to veganism after being a pescetarian for several years prior. Chastain credits the lifestyle for an increased feeling of energy and only buys cruelty-free beauty and makeup products.
In 2016, the actress founded her TV production company, Freckle Films. The company is headed by a team of all-female executives and released the film Ava in 2020. The company is currently producing Chastain's upcoming movie The 355.
Isabelle Huppert, the French actress known for her roles in The Piano Teacher and Violette Nozière, has been a major source of inspiration for Chastain. Inspired by Huppert's portrayal of cold and disdainful characters, Chastain continues to look to the iconic actress for film tips and tricks.
Chastain's husband, Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, works in fashion and is directly related to Italian nobility. The pair married in 2017 and had their first daughter, Giulietta, in 2018 and a second child in 2020.
Chastain has a three-legged dog named Chaplin who she rescued and also has two other dogs. The dog is an advocate for animal adoption, a mindset which coincides with her veganism.
Always going above and beyond for acting roles, Chastain learned German and the fighting style of Krav Maga for her character in The Debt. The actress portrayed an Israeli agent in the film and effortlessly adapted to the physical rigor of the role.
Along with mental health advocacy, Chastain often speaks out against the discrimination and inequalities faced by women in Hollywood. Over the years, the actress has advocated for more female film critics and female representation on film crews and sets. In 2018, Chastain and over 300 women in Hollywood founded the Time's Up initiative which aims to shield women against workplace sexual harassment and discrimination.
