Jessica Chastain covers InStyle UK: ‘Fame & money have not been my goals’

Jessica Chastain finally seems to be getting the hang of this celebrity/gossip thing. It’s sad that the Hollywood system doesn’t let young actresses JUST be actresses at this point, they also have to have some personal stuff to sell, some drama, some fashion sense, and they have to “give good magazine” (as in, give a good mag interview and be able to pose for high-fashion editorials). Some very talented actresses have managed to play the new game with some grace and still keep an air of mystery – I’m thinking more Mia Wasikowska than Anne Hathaway. Although I think Jessica is an extraordinarily talented actress, for her Oscar campaign last year, she was a major snooze. She was too nervous, I think. She was too compliant to a stylist who made her look kind of awful time and time again. She seemed skittish in interviews.

But that was the old Chastain. The new Chastain is learning how to play the game. Jessica covers the InStyle UK February issue, and the pictorial is… sexy. Vampy, even. True, InStyle isn’t super-high-fashion, but it’s still an interesting choice for Jessica. Even her interview game is improving too! Check out these interview highlights:

She’s not in it for the money: “Fame and money have not been my goals. If they had, then this probably would not have happened, because this all happened from independent films. Not big pay cheques. Even The Help was an independent film. We were all cast before the success of the novel. Thank God, because they would have never ever given me Celia Foote had people known how big it would become.”

Hollywood is anti-ginger? “There were a couple of times when I thought, ‘Maybe I should dye my hair blonde?’ I’m in LA and I’m thinking, ‘Why can’t I get an audition for a film?’ Being a redhead and not having very conventionally modern looks, it was confusing for people and they didn’t know exactly where to put me.”

Never date an actor: “No actors… I have dated an actor before, at Juilliard, but since then, I’ve only been on a couple of dates with one and I was so freaked out someone was going to take a picture of us, because they were famous. I realized I wanted just to be able to hang out with someone…And I didn’t want to talk about the business, first of all. I love movies. But I love talking about them like when I was 15 years old. I’m a film fan, but I don’t want to talk about auditions or what movie I’m gonna do. I find that so boring.”

She’s dating somebody, but she won’t name names: The 35-year-old star refused to divulge who her current beau is, only hinting that “some people in the fashion world” might know him.

The Fame Game: “You have to welcome that… There are some actors, who are very, very famous, who know what they’re doing. They court it. Like Elizabeth Taylor. Richard Burton. It’s something that you woo.”

Getting an assistant: “I was like, ‘I don’t need an assistant'”, and admits it took her eight months “of being really bad at responding to emails and feeling like a failure” before she took on extra help.

[From Us Weekly & InStyle UK]

Damn, now I want to know who she’s dating in the fashion industry. It’s like a riddle! Hm… she doesn’t say he’s IN the fashion industry, just that “some people in the fashion world” would know him. So, it’s not a major name that everyone would know, like Marc Jacobs (who is gay, also, too) or Tom Ford (gay) or Calvin Klein (…pansexual?) or John Galliano (???). Someone only some people would know… like, a stylist? God, I hope she isn’t dating a straight dude stylist, although that would explain a lot about her red carpet style (yikes!). Maybe a male model? Does Jessica seem like the kind of girl who would date a model? Only if it were DAVID GANDY! Now I want that to happen.

Photos courtesy of InStyle UK.

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45 Responses to “Jessica Chastain covers InStyle UK: ‘Fame & money have not been my goals’”

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  1. brin says:

    Much more subtle than Anne Hathaways’ circus campaign! Hope she keeps it that way.

    • Amy says:

      A bulldozer coming through the wall is more subtle than Anne Hathaway. She’s made herself look so thirsty this awards season.

    • Shy says:

      Seriously, I hope that Anne will lose that Oscar to whoever. “Circus campaign” are correct words. She is just begging to give her that damn Oscar.

      And then there are Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence who basically don’t campaign. Some interviews there and there. But Anne Hathaway is simply everywhere in the past two months

  2. Sandy says:

    The last pic’s strange … the rest are great!

  3. Chris says:

    She doesn’t give off a 35 year old vibe (I know that sounds ridiculous. If you told me she was 25, I’d believe you.

  4. carrie says:

    it’s her 234th cover in one year
    now she does sexy pics
    she is photographied every day by paps (i see her every day on Justjared)
    next step: a famous boyfriend

    BUT she’s really talented and she doesn’t sell her talent

  5. carrie says:

    the cover is pretty but her face is fuller than usual

  6. Rhea says:

    She looks really nice here, and I prefer her more than Hathaway—-but TBH I almost couldn’t recognize her in the first picture. Maybe it’s just me.

  7. Amelia says:

    Any excuse to bring up David Gandy, Kaiser 🙂
    Although, I have to admit, that would be a HOT couple.

    • j.eyre says:

      I say, until we hear otherwise, let’s simply perpetuate this notion; Jessica + David – done. If we can all have Celebitchubbies, why can’t our fave stars?

  8. Mara says:

    Beautiful and talented!

  9. Ms Kay says:

    Whew! That means new eye candy Edgar Ramirez is free??? *heart eyes*

  10. Mia 4S says:

    I love her, seriously. I usually roll my eyes when the next “It” girl is anointed by Hollywood; then I saw this one act. Holy crap! Actual talent? Screen presence? Congrats Hollywood for getting one right.

    • Miss M says:

      This!

      I also find ridiculous that every interview she gives people bring up her age.

    • mel says:

      THIS A THOUSAND TIMES! Jessica is the only one of the new crew with actual talent and training, the only that actually spent years learning the craft not to become a movie star but a real actress. So happy things are going great for her.

    • Mirella says:

      I feel the same. I adore her!

  11. Post-It's says:

    The OCD in me wants to fix her hair on the cover.

  12. Miss M says:

    Call me crazy, but I thought about Gabriel Aubrey as her boyfriend… Jessica knows how to keep people interested because she keeps the mystery. Silence is gold! Anne could learn a thing or two from Jessica, couldn’t she?

    • stellalovejoydiver says:

      That was my first thought as well, but then I don´t know any other male fashion model besides him, Gandy and Johannes Huebl, Olivia Palermo´s fiance.
      But I do not think it is true, how should they have met and I thought she lived in NYC.

    • mln76 says:

      Your crazy(just kidding) but Aubry has a girlfriend….oh and I see Chastain with someone a bit more intellectual a fashion editor or someone on the design end.

      • Miss M says:

        Hahahah! Wait, what? He has a girlfriend and it’s not me?! *throws a Halle Berry tantrum*

        I actually can see Jessica dating someone a bit intelectual, but when I think of fashion world the word that comes to mind is shallow… Sorry fashion people!

  13. keats says:

    GOD, that alabaster skin.

  14. T.C. says:

    So much better than her butt naked GQ photoshoot from November: http://www.celebitchy.com/265250/jessica_chastain_you_brits_are_usually_so_mean_to_your_redheads_why_is_that/

    Only negative is they photoshopped her face so much on the cover you can’t recognize her. I like that she’s going to stay away from dating actors, and she’s not a famewhore. Don’t get the anti-ginger bias in Hollywood but good for her not changing who she is to get jobs. So are we going with 35 as her official age now???

  15. stellalovejoydiver says:

    She is growing on me. I find the photo shoot kind of boring, could they come up with an other pose than her liying on a couch making a sexy face?
    yeah at the love of Mia W., I think she is the next Cate Blanchett, she will be in a movie with her aswell, so excited for this one.

  16. Kimbob says:

    Great pics! She makes Anne Hathaway look like a breathless blabbermouth.

  17. French reader says:

    I’m torn on this one. I really love her, she’s gorgeous and talented. But you can’t say you’re not interested in fame and money and then appear on giant billboards shilling a perfume. Maybe she wasn’t looking for those things before when she was in indie films, but now what other reasons are there for her to be the face of Yves Saint Laurent?

    • Miss M says:

      Few actresses keep getting roles as they age. Jessica made quite “late”, at least for Hollywood standards. Why not secure herself financially? After she stops getting many offers to act, she will still have to pay her bills, correct?

    • A says:

      In her defense, it kind of seems like something female actresses need to do to stay relevant in this day and age of TMZ and gossip blogs galore…Basically, they need to build a brand unless they are older and super established a la Meryl Streep. It’s screwed up that male actors can just more or less show up (don’t have to sell it as much unless it’s awards season) and actresses seem to need to have fashion plus talent plus a “brand”.

  18. Bronwyn says:

    she is my most favorite FAVORITE. I love everything about her. She is amazing in every role she takes, she is in great films, she is stunning, and just seems like a generally awesomely grounded person. i just love her to bits.
    <<<333

  19. Mrs. Ari Gold says:

    She annoys me! I know I am alone on this and I know I sound like a bitch but I don’t like her. I hated her over-the-top performance in The Help and was shocked that she got an Oscar nomination for it.

    Anyone catch her interview on Charlie Rose? She was so pretentious and she took herself so seriously that it actually made me feel embarrassed for her more than dislike her.

    • bns says:

      I don’t hate her, but I didn’t understand why she was nominated for The Help either.

    • ??? says:

      You’re not alone. I’ve been wanting so badly to like her but it hasn’t happened yet. I don’t blame her for wanting to “strike while the iron is hot” regarding her career. But, although I’m being super judge-y, somehow I get this vibe from her that she’s not entirely genuine, and that she’s tailoring her responses and her image just as much as the rest of ’em.
      She comes off as pretentious in interviews like the one with CR because she’s an “acteeeuuuurrr,” an “artiste.” There’s a fine line between being proud of and passionate toward your line of work, and just taking it and yourself way too seriously. What I dig about some prodigious talents like, say, Meryl Streep, is that they don’t feel the need to make acting sound like some sort of mind-blowingly complicated, mystical, perplexing, out-of-body experience/process. When you have talent, it speaks for itself. And that’s all that’s really needed.
      JC’s definitely a pretty big step up from most of the Hollywood actresses in her age class, though. **cough, cough, Anne Hathaway**

  20. mel says:

    Not in it for the fame or money….massive eye roll…please don’t make me dislike you…please please please…just don’t even go there.

  21. Mrs. Ari Gold says:

    She annoys me! I know I sound like a bitch but I don’t like her. I hated her over-the-top performance in The Help and was shocked that she got an Oscar nomination for it.

    Anyone catch her recent interview on Charlie Rose? She was so pretentious and she took herself so seriously that it actually made me feel embarrassed for her more than dislike her.

  22. INeedANap says:

    I don’t understand Hollywood. What about her looks aren’t conventionally modern? She’s gorgeous, and Hollywood seems to be moving away from the fake n’ bake, so…

  23. Diana says:

    I love, love, love her. Celia foot was my fav character on the help and she naild it so hard! I’m gonna watch Zero dark thirty in the next few days and expect it to be awsome.

  24. Chordy says:

    Excuse me. I’m off to write my Jessica Chastain/David Gandy fanfic porn. It’ll be sort of like 50 Shades for grown ups and people who don’t find domestic violence sexy.

  25. KellyinSeattle says:

    She’s gorgeous, but she reminds me of the girls on “2 Broke Girls”, possibly the worst show on television imo.

  26. blonde on the dock says:

    Beautiful and talented!

  27. Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

    Not interested in fame and money?

    That dog won’t hunt.