Jessica Chastain: Just A Normal Girl

If there was a big bang event for celebrities, it happened to Jessica Chastain. One day no one knew who she was, then in 2011, she starred in not 1, not 2, but 7 movies! And almost every single one of them was great, but even if the movie itself didn't make waves, Chastain certainly did.

Cutest "white trash" ever.

I first noticed her in The Help. In a movie where Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard were expected to be the stars, Chastain stole the show. Her character, Celia, was great in the book, but watching Chastain bring her to life on the screen was more than I could have hoped for. Her performance was brilliant. From there, I just had to watch her in Tree of Life and Take Shelter. In Tree of Life she represents grace to Brad Pitt's sternness, and she plays it perfectly. She brought a humble confidence and steady lightheartedness to the role at every turn, while never becoming the center of attention. In Take Shelter she is a concerned but loving wife to her husband who may or may not be a little crazy. Again, she plays the role so perfectly that it's like she was born into a story, and without her, it would be incomplete. As vital as she is to all of these movies, she fits right in no matter who she co-stars with. She can match acting abilities with any superstar even while playing the lowliest of characters. She is truly a great supporting actress.

I want her nose.

If Marcia Cross, Christina Hendricks, and Florence from Florence and the Machine had a baby, it would look like Chastain. Her beauty is a blank slate. By that I mean that she is absolutely beautiful, but it seems to mold to whatever role she is playing. It's not distracting and does not pigeonhole her to Rom-Coms...a fate worse than death.

When I watched The Debt, because of Helen Mirren, (because I will watch ANYTHING with Helen Mirren in it), again, Chastain drew me in. Even in a conspiracy/action movie, she was captivating. She was playing the young version of Mirren's character, a challenge in itself given how brilliant and beloved Helen is! But she held her own in the role, and in that same strong and silent way that so often lends Mirren credit as an actress, Chastain brought a mix of vulnerable assuredness to the movie.

So dark and twisty.

While her past movies are wonderful, it's her upcoming role in Mama that has me intrigued and triggered me to write this blog. If you like scary movies, check out the trailer to the movie. It's chill-inducing. Think Nell meets The Orphan meets your worst nightmare. Chastain sports short black, yep, black hair and plays the new "mother" to two girls who are found abandoned in a cabin in the woods. (Not THAT cabin in the woods.) The movie is bound to be a hit, and Chastain's appearance in it gives it legitimacy that it might not have otherwise. After all, scary movies are a dime a dozen. Very few are considered to be good movies. Mama is on the right track to be one of the exceptions. (I will be defending it after it comes out in 2013...you know, since I'm the Defender of the Exceptional!)
She also seems to have mastered being the nice girl in Hollywood. She grew up in a low to middle income family in Sacramento and is one of five children. She is a mild activist, claiming to be a vegan and being a favorite of PETA. The Academy invited her to join this year, recognizing her influence after her 7 movie release year. She is rumored to possibly be up for a chance to play Princess Di. And she is starring with James McAvoy, William Hurt, Viola Davis, in what is bound to be one of the most experimental and possible controversial pair of movies ever made. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers. A 2 part movie of a couple's relationship as told from each perspective. Brilliantly intriguing.

21...35...who cares! 

She often describes herself as normal, shy, and not a typical actress. Even so, she has a lot to say about her career choice, and on what leads her to take the roles she does. Here are some of my favorite quotes from her:
"They'll say: Save it! Save it! I tell the,: Don't worry. I have a bottomless well of tears."
"While I am on this planet, I want everyone I meet to know that I am grateful they are here."
"When I came to Hollywood, I decided not to do anything based on a strategy. If I don't continue to challenge myself and risk failure, I have no business being an actor."
"I'm inspired by people who are so sensitive and vulnerable that they try to cover it up."

How darling is she!

Maybe one of the greatest feats that Chastain has achieved so far is that up until recently, she has hidden her age from the media. There were rumors based on her graduation dates, but in the last few years magazines have cited her anywhere from 21 to 35! It turns out that she's 35, which makes sense because she is finessed in a way that a 21 year old might not be. Think Kate Winslet in Titanic...she was 21 then. And how much more do we love her now? So Chastain is getting a "late" start on her career, but she is certainly making her mark. Slow and steady wins the race, and Chastain looks like she is in it for the long haul.