- Born
- Birth nameJessica Michelle Chastain
- Height5′ 4″ (1.63 m)
- Jessica Michelle Chastain was born in Sacramento, California, and was raised in a middle-class household in a Northern California suburb. Her mother, Jerri Chastain, is a vegan chef whose family is originally from Kansas, and her stepfather is a firefighter. She discovered dance at the age of nine and was in a dance troupe by age thirteen. She began performing in Shakespearean productions all over the Bay area.
An actor in a production of "Romeo & Juliet" encouraged her to audition for Juilliard as a drama major. She became a member of "Crew 32" with the help of a scholarship from one of the school's famous alumni, Robin Williams.
In her last year at Juilliard, she was offered a holding deal with TV writer/producer John Wells and she eventually worked in three of his TV shows. Jessica continues to do theatre, having played in "The Cherry Orchard", "Rodney's Wife", "Salome" and "Othello". She spends her time between New York and Los Angeles, working in theater, film and TV.
In 2011, she had a prolific year in film. She was nominated for and won a number of awards, including a 2012 Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for The Help (2011).
- IMDb mini biography by: emo83
- SpouseGian Luca Pasi De Preposulo(June 10, 2017 - present) (2 children)
- ChildrenGiulietta PreposuloAgustus Preposulo
- ParentsMichael MonasterioJerri Renee HasteyMichael Hastey
- RelativesJuliet Chastain(Sibling)
- Red hair
- Dimple chin
- Often plays substantially younger than her actual age
- Kathryn Bigelow decided to offer the lead role of Maya to her after seeing an early cut of Coriolanus (2011). Her agents originally declined the role of Maya for her in Zero Dark Thirty (2012). Producer Megan Ellison, who had worked with Chastain on Lawless (2012), gave Kathryn Bigelow Chastain's phone number so she could personally offer her the role. Chastain accepted.
- Learned German and Krav Maga for The Debt (2010).
- Was once roommates with Michelle Williams They were both nominated for Oscars in 2012 and have remained good friends.
- Before her film career, she toured in a stage production of "Othello" with Philip Seymour Hoffman.
- Learned the piano for Crimson Peak (2015) and performed all songs in the movie by herself.
- I was a difficult child because I wanted to be the mom.
- I don't look modern. I'm not the girl that would walk into the room and everyone goes, "Oh!"
- [on being directed by Terrence Malick in The Tree of Life (2011)] I would have pages of what we were going to convey, but I could say the words in any order I wanted, and sometimes we would say the same thing in many different ways... I think he will always be the greatest teacher I know. I'm trying, in the Terrence Malick kind of way of not planning and just allowing life to happen, trying to find these moments that mirror life and [are] not preconceived in any way. So that has changed me. I try to keep that freshness in things we've done.
- [on rehearsals] They'll say, "Save it, save it". I tell them: "Don't worry. I have a bottomless well of tears."
- Sometimes I'll have a meeting with someone and they'll say, "Oh, Sean Penn was just here and was saying the nicest things about you". You know, when you're applying for a job? These are like my recommendations. It's nice.
- It: Chapter Two (2019) - $2,500,000
- Woman Walks Ahead (2018) - $700 .000
- The Martian (2015) - $7,000,000
- Take Shelter (2011) - $100 a day
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