Just prepare yourselves for the onslaught of Jessica Chastain. This chick is EVERYWHERE these days. You’ve probably seen her in The Help, or The Debt, or Tree of Life, or you’ll be seeing her soon in Texas Killing Fields or Coriolanus. That’s just what she has out this year. Thus far, I’ve managed to avoid devoting a whole post to Jessica for whatever reason – I’ve included her in fashion wrap-ups and such, but in general, she gives boring interviews, and she’s not boning anybody gossip-worthy (that we know of), so she’s managed to keep everything low-key. But I couldn’t avoid this story, just because it made me giggle a little. Jessica wants us to know that she was a victim of bullying. For being a ginger! Because life is an episode of South Park. Here are more excerpts from Jessica’s ASOS cover interview:
Being bullied: “I got teased a lot when I was a little kid. Bullied for being a redhead. When you become an adult, that stops. But then when you become a known actor, it comes back. People write mean things on message boards. People feel that they can say mean, mean things. It’s really shocking and strange.”
On filming The Help: “Filming that was like being at summer camp. We were all in this small town – Greenwood, Mississippi – so we would work all day, then go and eat because we had to gain weight…It’s really fun because it means you get to eat a lot and you don’t have to worry about working out, but it also means that all of your clothes get too tight…There’s something sensual about being heavier, you feel like a painter’s muse.”
Going to Cannes with Tree of Life: “Brad Pitt on one arm, Sean Penn on the other – the best accessories I could have asked for to go with that dress (Zac Posen).”
On her new success: “I’m not in it for the fame or money. A lot of my childhood (outside San Francisco) we were very, very poor. I’ve experienced that. It’s tough, but I can get through it. I could be very happy working Off-Broadway in theatre for the rest of my life as long as I was acting – that’s what makes me happy.”
On her day-to-day style: “I live by the ocean in California, so it’s Chloe sweaters and jackets. I absolutely adore Louis Vuitton…i love the color, there is so much play. And I love new designers, Juan Carlos Obando and Prabal Gurung. I always try different things, try to change my look… I can’t wear all things…I could never be a model…What I am is a storyteller, so when I see an amazing dress, I think about the story of the dress and get into character.”
Now, I’m not saying that I don’t believe there are some people out there who have strong anti-ginger feelings and prejudices. I’m just saying… it’s so nonsensical that in this day and age, people still get worked up about someone being a ginger, and that gingers feel like they’re being bullied. I mean… if anything, don’t most people have an extreme pro-ginger obsession? I’m obsessed. My Fassbender is a ginger. Thus, all gingers are good in my book.
Photos courtesy of ASOS.
The magazine looks like it’s named ASS!!! lol.
Anyway, my daughter is a ginger, and everyone loves it. She’s never said a word about being made fun of for it.
Is the name of one of her movies really Coriol-anus?
I think I have butts on the brain today.
My mom works in an elementary school, and they had to do an assembly about how “kick a ginger day” is bad. Kids can be merciless, and it doesn’t have to make any sence. Unfortunately.
For the record, I wish I was a ginger.. sooo pretty.
Unusual looks… but not very charming
sorry
People with red hair are very much bullied. Especially in the UK. I’ve actually had experiences with lots of Cartman-like people who say I’m hideous and disgusting just because I have red hair. It goes back to people being prejudiced against the Irish. I had a girl dislike me for no other reason than I had red hair and freckles. Red hair symbolizes lower class. Don’t believe me? Go read some boards about Christina Hendricks or Juliane Moore. One of the main complaints against ‘Linnocent’s’ appearance is her freckles and red hair. It is in no way close to the prejudice that PoC in the U.S. face, but it’s there.
I’m a ginger and got teased a great deal as a child, but that was near 25 years ago. I would say it continued until I reached the mid of high school, then all the ladies at the hair salon would say, “Oh, I just love your hair colour.” It is rare that a true ginger colour can be reproduced in the form of a hair dye.
All my kids are gingers and so far, they have not been teased by other children. They are constantly “praised” for their hair by adults, though. 🙂
@ Beatlefan – I feel your pain. I had kids once say I was a devil worshipper, amongst other things, because my hair was red. So stupid.
I’m Asian but I think redheads with pale skin is such a gorgeous combination. I don’t get the ginger hate. I’ve never been aware of this dislike for gingers until these last few years.
And fat kids get made fun of for being fat and kids with buck teeth get made fun of for having buck teeth and so on and so on.
I do not understand the ginger hate either! I LOVE red hair. I have spent the majority of my adult life dying my hair various shades of red. In another life I was a redhead because it goes beautifully with my skin coloring.
The ginger hate just seems so random to me. Does anyone know how this got started and why? It seems so odd.
Not to downplay the ginger hate, but…aren’t all kids teased for something? Too tall, too short, too fat, too thin, big nose, big ears, small head, smells weird. My kids were bullied because they are vegetarians! I’m not saying that being bullied is not a terrible thing…it is. But it isn’t something rare or unique to the ginger children of the world.
And I love the cat shoes.
I was a redheaded child when the musical “Annie” was popular. So I ignored any insults and thought that I was special 🙂
(Not “special people’s club” special, but “awesome singing orphan with a cute dog” special).
@ Beatlefan176
That’s strange, because Christina Hendricks isn’t a natural redhead…
On another note, some of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen are redheads. Love Deborah Ann Woll.
@ Boo : True, but I don’t think there is such a thing as “Kick a Vegetarian Day”.
I’m a brunette,but I frequently dye my hair red, I think it’s gorgeous!
As a Navy child who moved a lot, and had red hair, I got picked on a lot whenever we moved. It didnt last long when they found out I could fight. I thank my dad for getting me into boxing and wrestling at an early age. I was in over 20 street fights as a kid, never picked one of them, and didnt lose once.
Lordy, here we go with the typical, “I was teased, abused as a child” crap.
I am a ginger with freckles and I love it. We are different and unique, but I did get teased when I was younger. I lived in the Caribbean and was the only kid in my class that could not go and enjoy a day at the beach lest I burn to a crisp. Although I must say that avoiding the sun has proven to be a blessing in disguise. I think this girl is very pretty in a delicate sort of way. In my opinion she is also a good actress.
The part about being bullied is understandable, but I found the rest of the interview kind of obnoxious and affected.
She says “I don’t need money or fame” blah blah and can live poor doing little off broadway plays, and then she goes on to talk about wearing Chloe sweaters and Louis Vitton. Kinda insufferable.
I like the red hair though.
Marianne, every day is kick a vegetarian day. :O)
I’m sure.
Tons of people I know happens to think that if you have red hair, it instantly makes you beautiful, even if not particularly. It’s the new peroxide blonde, really.
I bleached my hair to almost white and occasionally dump some neon color over top of it. It makes for a fun conversation piece. I always get compliments for whatever hair color I’m trying on. Blue hair is definitely more “uncommon” than red hair, and people don’t even ostracize me for it, so I find it a little bit hard to believe that she gets flack for her red hair, especially over the past few years becoming some kind of symbol of beauty and that it’s REALLY not that uncommon.
Torn fresh out of the pages of the bad actress/model cliche handbook, I’m willing to bet she did some modelling too. Because models are always the target of ridicule in school.
I’m clearly not a ginger- a natural blonde, actually, but people often remark on how I need a tan, and that sometimes irritates me. I don’t need to be orange. I’m so used to avoiding sunlight, I probably can’t even naturally tan anymore.
I was teased a lot in school. If it wasn’t for one thing, it was another. If it wasn’t because I was chubby, it was because I had a pegged leg. If it wasn’t because I had a pegged leg, it was because I had an overbite. If it wasn’t because I had an overbite, it was because I was pale. If it wasn’t because I was pale, it was because I was quiet. So on and so forth. Sometimes it was all of the above.
Oh, and people accused me of being Satanic, but I embraced that. In fact, I emphasized it.
@Katyusha – Deborah Ann Woll isn’t a natural red head either. She’s also a blonde that dyes her hair red.
Is in just me or does it seems like everyone is crying “bully” these days? I think there’s a difference in being teased and being bullied and while I believe that she was probably teased for being a red head, I find it hard to believe she was bullied. And I think it takes away from the real problem that bullying is, when the word is so overused.
I love me some gingers.
Gingers For Justice!
Kids seem to have picked gingers as the new thing to poke at, I didn’t get much teasing as a kid but my younger family members get loads now.
I was surprised how people fawned over my hair when I started traveling overseas, there’s much love out there for gingers.
I am definitely pro-ginger. My first boyfriend was a redhead, and my two best friends growing up were too. Plus, I colored my hair red for a looooong time. My husband is obsessed with redheads.
But, I do remember as a kid, my friends were on the bad end of a lot of teasing. I think maybe it doesn’t happen as much as it used to.
Bigchili
Good to know! Thanks!
She is getting the last laugh now, guys love pretty redheads!
Having a ginger baby was a huge fear of mine when I was pregnant because I KNEW they would have a horrible school experience.
My sister teased me mercilessly when I was pregnant because my husband is Scottish and has a ginger beard etc 😉 However, just to prove Karma is a bitch, my gorgeous boy is blonde and the boy she had after me couldn’t be more of a carrot head!!!!
That sexy face needs to die! Damnit, who the hell decided it was sexy to have dead eyes and an open mouth??? That just looks like you’re coming out of CPR and are about to cough up a salt-water loogie.
does this chick even know what bullying is? a few remarks/insults about red hair? teasing is not bullying. funny how every celebrity now claims they were bullied. i guess it’s to show they are just like us peasants.
Wow, I just got an education on the bullying of redheads from reading the comments. I had no idea!
There are some scientists who think red hair might be a legacy from interbreeding with the Neanderthal. I wonder if the discrimination might not have its roots in that. I can imagine Cro Magnon felt it was quite superior to Neanderthal.
http://www.dhamurian.org.au/anthropology/neanderthal1.html
Haterade for all! Just because you can’t believe it doesn’t mean she wasn’t bullied. Look at some of the comments people write on this website about people who look different. It’s awful. I’ve known redheads were were absolutely bullied. I have extremely white skin and dark hair and I was tormented ceaselessly. People can be truly horrid when you look “different.”
I was teased as a kid because I was asian. Kids would be on the playground chanting ching chong wong and whatever racist crap.
Being bullied is when a kid in my class in elementary farted so loud during a silent moment that kids laughed so long and hard. They constantly tried to recreate the noise, made nicknames, did the armpit thing… He was already the new kid, wore glasses, was super skinny, and awkward. For the longest time, they made fun of him so badly and ostracized him that his mom transferred him to another school.
I was never teased in school for having red hair but my aunt was. She says the teasing kept on until high school and she even considered dying her hair.
A bit shocked at the lack of sympathy here for teasing or bullying. If you have kids or have ever been teased yourself, then you know that no amount or degree of teasing or bullying is acceptable. Ever.
I don’t know what planet you guys live on where red hair is considered ugly. Everywhere I go, guys are constantly talking about how they have a fetish for redheads.
Us blondes don’t even get any recognition anymore because ZOMG LOOK AT THE REDHEAD. I’ve been around more people who instantly assume that if you bleach your hair you’re trailer trash than anyone who’s ever said anything about redheads that was not in jest or light hearted.
As for “being shocked at lack of sympathy for teasing or bullying”, please. I’ve gotten bullied in high school a good amount, to the extent of where I’d get physically sick before leaving the classroom because I knew that my bullies would find me and gang up on me, because of my looks.
People think this is bad. Well, I’ve felt inadequate and hideous since I was eight years old. That’s fifteen years, and I’m still convinced I’m an ugly sack of shit who can’t do anything right. It must be nice being surrounded by people to tell you you’re beautiful all the time. Some of us don’t have that. My own boyfriend doesn’t even want me.
…huh? I’m a redhead (well, more copper than firey) and I’ve never experienced bullying because of it. If anything, I think I get more positive attention from men because of it, and some of my female friends lament the impossibility of getting this color from a bottle.
The only teasing I’ve ever encountered is the stale “does the carpet match the drapes?” question. I just look whoever asks in the eye and say “yep.” Then there’s nothing to tease about.
I’m sure bullying happens over this sort of thing, because adolescents will pick on anything to deflect from their own insecurities. I guess I’m just surprised at how common it is, considering it’s never happened to me. Then again, there are tons of Scandanavian, Irish, and Scottish people where I live, so redheads aren’t that uncommon. Maybe that has something to do with it?
I can relate. While growing up I was teased mercilessly for being a redhead.
I find Jessica Chastain to be absolutely stunning. In part, because of her red hair. She has great bone structure.
Another redhead here! I’ve experienced the teasing – from grade school right though to the high school “does the carpet match the drapes??” crap. Funny how each moron thought he was so inventive and clever. There always was a sense of being an outsider. Before I was 7 I was planning the hair dye in my future. Mousy brown was going to be finally in my grasp. My mother tried to console me with the “wait till you’re grown – you’ll love it then, and men adore red hair”. Those were long years, but she was right.
I can’t really comment on the rest of the post, since I’ve never seen this woman act. And I don’t own Louis Vuitton.
At least men love what you have, Lee.
Nobody loves what I have. Wish someone could console me with “men love women who are overweight and have an overbite!”, but they don’t unless they have some sort of sordid fetish, usually one that involves degradation of sorts or they’re too ashamed to admit.
I’ve met a handful of men who claim they love “bigger girls” when we talk on an individual basis but act ashamed to publicly admit, because THAT makes them “sick”. Other men make fun of them for liking “fat chicks”. I’ve never heard of men acting too embarrassed to publicly admit they’re turned on by redheads. Do you?
All I get is the same meaningless pep talk about being beautiful on the inside or having pretty eyes. Men don’t give a f*ck.
I’m a redhead with freckles and was teased about it (by other kids and some adults) until I got to high school where other forms of ridicule are practiced. Someone once told me that the reason red haired people are such a small percentage of the world population is because we were considered spawn of the devil and killed at birth. I’ve no idea if that’s true, nor do I care, but I like being part of a small group.
I was and am very lucky to have hair with many shades of red, auburn and gold in it and never have to color it. The freckles? They fade, but I still have ’em and don’t even notice them anymore. My husband loves the whole package, so that’s what matters to me.
HATE the phrase “red-headed step-child” though. Hate it.
I’m a redhead. People tried to tease me in school but it was always so lame I ignored it. Carrot Top? Really?
And my two biggest crushes in school were also redheads. But I was paranoid we would look like brother and sister if we dated so I never pursued either of them. Regret that!
My current boyfriend is also ginger. I fully embrace the ginger!
WOW! I’m sorry that all of you other redheads were teased! I’m a redhead too, but was never teased for it as a kid. Actually, I probably get more teasing now, as an adult, BECAUSE of the South Park episode.
My experiences as a redhead have all been very positive (especially when women ask me what color I dye my hair, and I have to make them sad when I tell them it’s natural).
Who IS this woman, and why is she suddenly in EVERYTHING???
So was she teased? or bullied? Because those are TWO very different things.
If we keep casually throwing around the term bullied, its going to lose its very real and horrible meaning/impact.
i had a friend in elementary school who was a redhead and he was teased. my other friend in high school, was also a redhead, but she wasn’t teased as much.
but i do think redheads do get picked on more than others. there’s the whole kick a ginger day. and then the world largest sperm bank has recently implemented a policy that they would not take any donations from gingers because apparently no one wants a ginger baby.
Some of the red hair hate originates from the belief that Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, was a redhead. The ancient Egyptians believed that redheads were followers of the god Set, who was considered mostly evil. Also, the Malleus Maleficarum, a book written in medieval times used to hunt witches said that a person with red hair and green eyes was most likely a witch.
She should cherish her precious red hair as it will become extinct eventually, probably within the next 50 years.
really she was made fun of for being a redhead, and not having that huge butt chin of hers?
hmmm
kids are weird.
@atlantapug: I assume they’re just doing a film treatment of the play.
*
I don’t know her work from Adam, but in interview she is a profoundly dull woman.
*
I don’t know was school was like for her, but if her schools were anything like mine, we can ask the teachers who treated ‘doing flip-all about anything, ever’ like it was a sacred mode of being that can’t be broken, lest it cut the seal of whispered and tearful oaths uttered to a ‘gone before her time’ princess who was about to expire from kind of romantic wasting disease. I don’t have any stake in not believing her, but when I say that ginger-teasing was a notion that was considered as mostly an English preoccupation and I’ve never personally witnessed, it may well have been because I was too preoccupied with being teased/bullied for my own reasons. There’s a good chance that if a lot of redheads say it’s so, they likely know what they’re talking about. Childhood bullying, however, is Hollywood’s fashionable affliction and celebrities tend to exaggerate and it’s not a torment contest, but, come on. I’m glad that there isn’t a need for a sister movement of the It Gets Better campaign, but I’m not a redhead so I speak with expertise. I’m asking honestly, are there any female redheads who have to endure that same kind of hurtful treatments once they’ve passed a certain age? Has it been a hindrance?
I think beatlefan76 hit the nail on the head. The bullying which I am assuming is mostly in the UK(I don’t think it’s ever been a big deal in the US but I’m sure that American gingers can educate me on that) has to do with historical prejudice against the Scottish and Irish and ‘lower class’.
I’ll say this for Chastain at least she is actually talented.
I have red hair and I’ve never experienced any bullying, but then again, there was hardly any bullying at my school anyway.
I think that, for whatever reason, red hair leaves people feeling divisive. Either they LOVE it or they HATE it. Hating it seems irrational to me, but whatever. I chalk it up to it being so rare comparatively and to the weird prejudices they’ve carried in the UK.
@Kaiser: You are forgetting that Linnocent is a natural Ginger…
Suddenly, only redheads get bullied or it’s worse for redheads to get bullied judging by some of these comments.
“Oh you were teased for having red hair? That’s awfullll! People are teased for other things too, but it’s not as bad! Golly gosh!”
I have two red heads now. I hope they never get made fun of. It would break my heart. I only hear postive comments on their hair from other adults, but it could be an entirely different story when they’re in school.
Oh and I refuse to believe they are going extinct. It’s a wild card and pops up anywhere. I have black hair (half Mexican) and my husband has blonde. Both of our children have red hair. Ever since I’ve had a red head I notice them more and they’re everywhere!
RED ME- in nursery school a girl who said i couldn’t play with because i had red hair turned out to have a red head baby brother!
Bring the water, bring the sand, because curry head is on fire!!! – childhood chanting i’ll never forget!
NOT REALLY BULLIED?
At the age of 9 i was the teacher’s punishment to sit next to for the naughty boys. when my mom found out after a few weeks of this she took it up with the school and the teacher nearly lost her job. i suffered a year long depression after.
FASSBENDER HOT – there are hot people in all shades!
I loved her in “The Debt” I have no understanding why people make fun of redheads? Geez it’s a hair color, but anyway I have always had a soft spot for red heads, my boyfriend is a red head and I can’t get enough of him:-)
My whole extended family had red hair, but I didn’t. I loved it so much I started dyeing my hair red when I was 12. I guess I had Ginger Jealousy!
I, for one, love ginger hair. I think it’s gorgeous. But seriously, we’ve all been bullied for one thing or another. People do that. By lamenting about mean comments and not growing a thick skin, we’re really just letting the bullies win.
I don’t get the ginger hate! They’re gorgeous.
Emma Stone is naturally blonde, but she dyed her hair. And she looks better with ginger hair.
Also my favorite actress, Katharine Hepburn is a natural redhead, and she’s stunning 🙂
@Venefica Delirium: I’m assuming you’re trolling. But if you’re not, I have a feeling that you find it difficult to attract men because of your woe-is-me attitude as opposed to your appearance. Self-pity isn’t very attractive. Self confidence is.
Not a single redhead in this thread has implied that being teased for being a redhead is worse than being teased for some other reason. You’re just seeing what you want to see.
@Shannon: I’ve tried a number of times to offer my insights on here about being teased. Everyone excludes them though by instead of saying things like “I’m sorry you all have been teased”, people say things like “Oh I feel for you redheads out here who were ridiculed growing up! But, at least men think we’re pretty! Teehee!”
Admittedly, I was just really irked at a certain point. My bullying has taken a long-term effect on my self-image. It must be nice having validation for your looks thrown at you all the time! I like how this thread has basically evolved into a giant circlejerk about how special it is having red hair rather than it is against “bullying”.
It’s pretty hard being confident when every time you try people are always telling you what’s wrong with you. Don’t think it still happens? It happens to me, a lot. People in my life complain about my negativity, but even if I dare even trying to pretend to like myself a little, let my hair down, wear makeup, and carry myself better, I’m faced with “LOL does she actually think she’s pretty???” comments. People love to bitch that I’m not positive enough, but for some reason they just love keeping me down!
Wow, so many redheads responding, yet I see so few in real life. 🙁
My fiance got bullied a lot when he was a kid, and he’s a full on ginger. But he’s 30 now, maybe times have changed, lol.
I must live in topsy turvy world because I’ve never known of or ever heard of anyone being bullied for bring a “ginger”. In fact I didn’t even know what a ginger was until I was 20 and I figured out what it mean’t from a Brit (which is where I first heard it, England).
Even now I find it absolutely ridiculous that there is such a thing as “ginger bashing” (which is why I find this chick’s story kind of hard to believe, if she’s an American. If she’s British than I’ll give her a pass). Being bullied over hair color is just bizarre. It’s not like redheads popped out of nowhere 10 years ago.