Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Jessica Chastain
Discover the career path of Jessica Chastain, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Jessica Chastain is a celebrated American actress and producer recognized for her roles in feminist-themed projects. Her accomplishments include an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. She has also received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, two Tony Awards, and two British Academy Film Awards. In 2012, Time magazine acknowledged her influence by including her in their list of the 100 most influential people globally.
1940: Inspiration for Crimson Peak Role
In 2015, Jessica Chastain prepared for her villainous role in Crimson Peak by watching the 1940 film Rebecca.
1962: Inspiration for Crimson Peak Role
In 2015, Jessica Chastain prepared for her villainous role in Crimson Peak by watching the 1962 film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
2011: Starred in Take Shelter, Coriolanus, The Tree of Life, and The Help
In 2011, Jessica Chastain starred in 'Take Shelter', 'Coriolanus', 'The Tree of Life', and 'The Help'.
November 2012: Broadway Debut in The Heiress
In November 2012, Jessica Chastain made her Broadway debut in a revival of the 1947 play 'The Heiress' at the Walter Kerr Theatre, playing Catherine Sloper. The initial performances were met with mixed reviews.
2012: Acquisition of Tammy Faye's Life Rights
In 2012, Jessica Chastain acquired the rights to Tammy Faye's life, which led to the production of the 2021 film The Eyes of Tammy Faye, starring Chastain as Tammy Faye Bakker.
2012: Starred in Madagascar 3 and Zero Dark Thirty
In 2012, Jessica Chastain starred in 'Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted' and 'Zero Dark Thirty'.
2012: Release of Zero Dark Thirty
In 2012, Jessica Chastain's film Zero Dark Thirty was released. She played Maya Harris, a CIA intelligence analyst involved in the hunt for Osama bin Laden. The film was critically acclaimed but also controversial. Chastain's performance was highly praised, earning her a Golden Globe Award and nominations for Academy, BAFTA, and SAG Awards.
2013: Supported Got Your 6 campaign
In 2013, Jessica Chastain lent her support to the Got Your 6 campaign, to help empower veterans of the United States Army.
2013: Starring in Mama and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby
In 2013, Jessica Chastain starred in the horror film Mama and the drama The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby. In Mama, she played a musician caring for her boyfriend's nieces, and in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, she played the titular character, a depressed woman. She also produced the latter film.
2013: Starred in Mama
In 2013, Jessica Chastain starred in the movie 'Mama'.
2014: Starring in Miss Julie and Interstellar
In 2014, Jessica Chastain starred in Miss Julie, a film adaptation of August Strindberg's play, and Christopher Nolan's science fiction film Interstellar. She played the titular character in Miss Julie and the adult daughter of Matthew McConaughey's character in Interstellar. Interstellar became her highest-grossing live-action film to date.
2014: Starring in A Most Violent Year
In 2014, Jessica Chastain starred in the crime drama A Most Violent Year, directed by J. C. Chandor. She played the ruthless wife of a heating-oil company owner set in New York City. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
2014: Starred in Interstellar and A Most Violent Year
In 2014, Jessica Chastain starred in the movies 'Interstellar' and 'A Most Violent Year'.
December 2015: Penned Essay on Gender Imbalance
In December 2015, Jessica Chastain penned an essay on gender imbalance in the film industry for The Hollywood Reporter.
2015: Became global ambassador for Piaget
In 2015, Jessica Chastain became the global ambassador for the Swiss jewelry and watchmaking company Piaget.
2015: Roles in The Martian and Crimson Peak
In 2015, Jessica Chastain starred in Ridley Scott's science fiction film The Martian and Guillermo del Toro's gothic romance Crimson Peak. In The Martian, she played a commander of a team of astronauts, and in Crimson Peak, she played a villainous woman.
2015: Starred in The Martian
In 2015, Jessica Chastain starred in the movie 'The Martian'.
2016: Joined We Do It Together advisory board
In 2016, Jessica Chastain became an advisory-board member to the organization We Do It Together.
2016: Starring in The Huntsman: Winter's War and Miss Sloane
In 2016, Jessica Chastain starred in The Huntsman: Winter's War and Miss Sloane. She played a warrior in The Huntsman: Winter's War and a lobbyist in Miss Sloane. She also launched her production company, Freckle Films.
2016: Starred in Miss Sloane
In 2016, Jessica Chastain starred in the movie 'Miss Sloane'.
2017: Directorial Debut in Molly's Game
In 2017, Jessica Chastain starred in Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut, Molly's Game. She played Molly Bloom, a former skier who ran a high-profile gambling operation. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
2017: Starred in Molly's Game
In 2017, Jessica Chastain starred in the movie 'Molly's Game'.
2017: Releases of The Zookeeper's Wife and Woman Walks Ahead
In 2017, Jessica Chastain starred in two films directed by women: The Zookeeper's Wife and Woman Walks Ahead. She played Antonina Żabiński in The Zookeeper's Wife and Catherine Weldon in Woman Walks Ahead.
2017: Supported Michelle Williams and The Children's Monologues
In 2017, Jessica Chastain supported Michelle Williams regarding equal pay and featured in a theatrical production of The Children's Monologues.
2017: Honored by Variety for Planned Parenthood Work
In 2017, Jessica Chastain was honored by Variety for her work with Planned Parenthood, advocating for access to affordable reproductive health care for women.
2017: Became face of Ralph Lauren's 'Woman' fragrance campaign
In 2017, Jessica Chastain was made the face of Ralph Lauren's fragrance campaign, 'Woman'.
2017: Criticized Passive Portrayal of Women at Cannes
In 2017, while serving as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival, Jessica Chastain criticized the passive portrayal of women in most films.
2018: Pitched 'The 355' at Cannes Film Festival
In 2018, Jessica Chastain and her co-stars pitched the idea for 'The 355', a female-led spy film, to prospective buyers at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was picked up by Universal Pictures.
2018: Co-founded Time's Up initiative
In 2018, Jessica Chastain collaborated with 300 women in Hollywood to set up the Time's Up initiative to protect women from harassment and discrimination and appeared in This Changes Everything, a documentary about the poor representation of women in Hollywood films.
2018: Saturday Night Live and Spheres: Songs of Spacetime
In 2018, Jessica Chastain hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live and voiced the virtual reality production Spheres: Songs of Spacetime.
2019: Featured in 'Leading with Intensity'
In 2019, Jessica Chastain featured in a short film named 'Leading with Intensity', made by an all-female cast and crew.
2019: Acted in It Chapter Two
In 2019, Jessica Chastain starred in the movie 'It Chapter Two'.
2019: Roles in Dark Phoenix and It Chapter Two
In 2019, Jessica Chastain starred in the superhero film Dark Phoenix and the horror film It Chapter Two. She played an evil alien in Dark Phoenix and the adult Beverly Marsh in It Chapter Two.
2020: Release of Ava
In 2020, Jessica Chastain produced and starred in the action film Ava, released theatrically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The film performed poorly at the box office but gained success on video on demand.
2021: Starring in The Eyes of Tammy Faye
In 2021, Jessica Chastain starred as Tammy Faye Bakker in the biopic The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which she also produced. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.
2021: Starred in 'Scenes from a Marriage' and 'The Forgiven'
In 2021, Jessica Chastain starred in 'Scenes from a Marriage', a gender-switched remake for HBO, and 'The Forgiven', an adaptation of Lawrence Osborne's novel. She received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in 'Scenes from a Marriage'.
2021: Starred in Scenes from a Marriage
In 2021, Jessica Chastain starred in the miniseries 'Scenes from a Marriage'.
2021: Won Academy Award for 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye'
In 2021, Jessica Chastain won an Academy Award for Best Actress for 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye'.
2022: Starred in 'The 355', 'Armageddon Time', and 'The Good Nurse'
In 2022, Jessica Chastain starred in 'The 355', a spy film that she also pitched at Cannes Film Festival in 2018. She also appeared in 'Armageddon Time' and played Amy Loughren in 'The Good Nurse', preparing for the role by working with Loughren and attending nursing school.
2022: Visited Kyiv during Russian invasion
In 2022, Jessica Chastain traveled to Kyiv in Ukraine during Russia's invasion of the country, visiting a children's hospital and meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
2022: Acted in TV show George & Tammy
In 2022, Jessica Chastain was in the television show George & Tammy.
2022: Advocated for LGBT rights at Academy Awards
In 2022, Jessica Chastain won the Academy Award for Best Actress and voiced her support for the LGBTQ+ community, while also calling out bigoted legislation against them.
2023: Starred in Broadway revival of A Doll's House
In 2023, Jessica Chastain appeared in a Broadway revival of 'A Doll's House'.
2023: Supported SAG-AFTRA strike
In 2023, Jessica Chastain lent her support to the SAG-AFTRA strike, attending the premiere of her film Memory at the Venice International Film Festival wearing a t-shirt affirming her support.
2023: Broadway Revival and Film 'Memory'
In 2023, Jessica Chastain returned to Broadway in Jamie Lloyd's revival of 'A Doll's House', and starred in Michel Franco's independent drama film 'Memory'.
2024: Became global ambassador for Damiani
In 2024, Jessica Chastain became the global ambassador for Damiani, an Italian luxury jewelry corporate group.
2024: Starred in 'Mothers' Instinct'
In 2024, Jessica Chastain starred in and produced 'Mothers' Instinct', a remake of a Belgian psychological thriller, reuniting with Anne Hathaway.
2025: Starred in 'Dreams'
In 2025, Jessica Chastain starred in 'Dreams', a drama about a rich American woman and an undocumented Mexican immigrant, which premiered at the Berlinale.
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