I go back and forth on how much coverage we should give to Jessica Chastain. On one side, she’s a beautiful, accomplished and acclaimed actress and that’s always interesting. On the other side, she says doesn’t want to be “famous” and I kind of believe her. She’s not giving “look at me!” quotes in interviews. She gets photographed a lot when she’s promoting a movie, but otherwise… she lives a quiet life. So, should we talk about her more… or less? Honk or whatever, just give me some insight. Jessica has been on the whirlwind Interstellar promotional trail for the past few weeks, and I’m including some photos of Jessica out and about in NYC from this week. She’s got a new interview with The Telegraph too – go here to read the full piece. Again, she’s smart and lovely. But is that newsworthy or notable?
She’s not into fame: “I’m a shadow whisperer, I hide in the shadows. And I tend to avoid places where I might get photographed and end up with my picture in the press. I just don’t think of myself as a movie star – I’m an actress.”
She took seven months off after filming Crimson Peak with Hiddleston: “That part was the hardest thing I have ever done. I gave so much and went to some very dark places. When I’d finished I felt like I didn’t want to act anymore. And I do love acting. But I realised that, if I didn’t take a break, it was going to take too much of a toll on me.”
She won’t date another actor: “It just puts a magnifying glass on you. If you want to be really famous, then date another famous person. But the fame is not the part of my life that I am excited about.” She concedes, however, that potential partners do have to appreciate the nature of the business. “I think you have to date someone who understands some aspects of the film industry. I mean, I’m going to be in Northern Ireland kissing Colin Farrell, so I have to date a guy who is really confident in himself and isn’t insecure about all of that.”
She’s the first college-educated woman in her family: “The majority of women in my family started having children when they were teenagers – I was the first not to do that too. Everyone in my family has a beautiful, wonderful life and incredible children, but I just knew that I wanted to do something else, and that always pushed me forward.”
She does want children: “But when I have kids I want to make my kids my priority, not my work. I can’t be working like I have been recently.”
Women in film: “I think there is a huge problem in American cinema: stories about women aren’t nurtured or celebrated or brought to the screen as often as stories about men. There’s a real inequality and it can’t be justified. You can’t assume that a male-led movie will make more money than a female-led movie… clearly people are interested in films starring women. I’m feeling a sea change coming in movies, though. I hope I get to partake in it, but, if not, that’s fine. Anything I can do to help the women that are coming after me, that would be great too.”
That’s interesting that she was drained after Crimson Peak. My takeaway: Tom Hiddleston is just as exhausting as we think. Sure, he’s a great actor but acting opposite Lord Dragonfly for months on end is enough to drive Jessica into an extended hiatus. And once again, she dismisses the idea of dating another actor. So stop trying to put her with Tom Hiddleston or Benedict Cumberbatch! She’s not into actors.
I think we can safely say Jessica isn’t going to get an Oscar nomination for Interstellar, but what about her role in A Most Violent Year? I haven’t heard that much about it, but I just watched the trailer and…wow. I think Chastain plays some kind of Lady Macbeth-esque mobster’s wife. This looks really good!
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
She filmed a bunch of movies on top of each other before CP and she had the villain role in that. GDT was surprised she took it and she’s getting good buzz for her performance. That, more than Tom, would seem to be why she needed a break. And BC is engaged.
A very interesting bit of insight into Crimson Peak and the psychological/sexual/whatever issues it is exploring. Makes me even more eager to see it! And no, Kaiser, I am not buying that you are honestly deducing that she’s talking about her experience with Hiddleston during CP shooting 😛
Yea I’m not buying it either. Nice try though.
*honk*
I like her. She’s quite eloquent and comes across pretty hardworking/dedicated to her jobs but I totally understand that that can be pretty boring.
Like most of Hollywood, She’s also putting herself out there as “meeting with” Marvel (I hope to God it’s Medusa so they actually let a redheaded actress keep her hair!!) so there’s likely to be a lot more “superfan” type interest in the next few years.
Ditto. She’s so lovely. I’d rather hear about her than the Thousand stories about the kardashiand klan.
Honk. Jessica reminds me so much of Cate Blanchett. A timeless/ageless actress, who really throws herself into her parts, and somehow can make herself believable in any era, in any role.
Also, her fashion game is fierce.
Less coverage would be fine.
Her outfits aren’t usually hits. Her acting is ok. And she leads a fairly dull life from a gossip perspective. And I say that in the best way. She’s a great example of how recognizable celebs ca still lead private lives.
Should she have an affair or start talking madness in interviews i’ll honk. Until then she’s boring (in the best way).
Seconded. It feels like she honestly wants to be left alone and since there is really nothing gossip-worthy about her life, I’m more than happy to pay her no mind at all except when she’s shilling a project.
I’m torn whether to honk or not.
I feel as though I should like her: she does good work, says mostly the right things, looks lovely and has an endearingly precarious relationship with fashion.
But I also always end up being slightly underwhelmed by her performances (think this is a ridiculously high expectations thing on my part), get a bit toothgrindy because she sometimes comes off a bit precious, and a bit bored because she lacks charisma outside acting.
In short; not fussed either way!
+1
I watched Zero Dark Thirty expecting to be knocked out by a stellar performance. I was sincerely underwhelmed. I like her a lot, but I think think as an actress she is was over-sold, over-hyped.
Bit of an unfair to Tom headline, making it sound as if it was his fault! Almost libellous. 🙂
yeah but it gives us an excuse to chat Hiddleston and hide while the Benny thread catches fire – hunger games pt 4 .
That thread is on fire, my laptop is smoking. I feel for them though.
‘P’enny and Koko – that is the exact reason I ‘m here! I (and my laptop) needed a break from the melee on the other thread. I am metaphorically hiding behind the couch, out of breath with spirals in my eyes. I need a restorative adult beverage – before 8am no less – and a brief lie down after all that… and I never even managed to summon up the intestinal fortitude to submit a comment.
On the other hand, it is going to be a glorious spectacle and am partly jealous the Cumberbunnies have something interesting to froth about. And I suppose just witnessing the carnage is good on-the-job training for when and if the Tomster does something interesting, or (dare I hope) vaguely scandalous.
In that case I’ll forgive it. Nipped over to the other thread briefly and couldn’t believe so much venom in one place – worse than a cobra’s den! (if cobra’s have dens that is :))
While some posters kinda sorta scared me on that thread lol, I have to say I do agree that the whole dating/engagement thing looks very weird. As does Cumberbatch’s behaviour. I have no opinion of SH though except that she’s pretty. And that’s the most invested in Cumberbatch’s private life that I can get 😛
@Dara, would you like wine or beer or something stronger? Colin will mix martinis if you would like?
Thanks @Lilac – I think it’s a tequila shot sort of occasion. Although the mental image of Colin preparing a batch of martinis is tempting. Or maybe a traditional absinthe dripped into a vintage cut crystal glass. Just don’t let him set the sugar cube on fire – it’s an unnecessary, and slightly gauche, affectation.
I’ve recovered enough to venture back into the fray, and I really think the Batch broke the internet (or at least this corner of it), comments going in the wrong places or disappearing altogether – it’s a train wreck over there let me tell you… and so much fun!
I’m exhausted after reading a good portion of the 600+ quotes on today’s big announcement and commenting. I was sadly not surprised that most of them ranged from WTF to being outright nasty.
I quite like it over here. My merlot tastes better too.
@MountainRunner – by all means, take a break – breathe deeply, put your feet up, have a glass (and by glass, I mean bottle) of Merlot and mull over the events of the day. And quite a day it’s been… wait, it’s almost unknown here in the states, but isn’t Nov 5th Guy Fawkes Day? Isn’t it known for bonfires, the burning in effigy assorted of personalities and general mayhem – I’m starting to sense a theme.
I always want to read about her. It seems like she was “an overnight sensation,” which I know is never possible. No one seems to know much about her background, and there are hints of a few mysteries there. Some articles even dispute her age.
In short, she’s interesting to me, and I think she’s a talented actor.
Let’s talk about her when she has a juicy role she’s promoting or when she’s at an award show. Otherwise, I guess leaver her be. She obviously doesn’t court gossip. But I love to look at her, she’s so pretty! Although I like her outfits shown here, it does remind me of an executive look, not really “movie star”.
” I mean, I’m going to be in Northern Ireland kissing Colin Farrell, so I have to date a guy who is really confident in himself and isn’t insecure about all of that.” ”
its funny though that actors and actresses always put the burden on their partner. you never read “i need to keep it in my pants with my hot co stars”, but only that their partners must be understanding.
In that case, I can understand her not wanting to make it sound like she secretly had the hots for Colin. He’s not known to be deterred by relationship status (or much else), and might have taken it as encouragement!
I’m really curious to see what her role in Crimson Peak is like now that she said it was so draining to play. I also like that she said about women in film. I’m going to *Honk* because while I don’t usually like her style and she’s not super “gossip friendly”, she seems like a smart woman and I like reading about woman who can speak intelligently.
I bet she does a lot of hysterical screaming. :-p
yes, I too think that working with hiddles for four months would drive me to a 7-month holiday. Duracell bunny all the way. Actually I feel a bit for Hiddles, he went straight into that after Coriolanus. No wonder he disappeared before High Rise. bless.
Yes, but you would want your 7-month holiday to be WITH Hiddles! 😉
mmmm no, Cillian Murphy 😀
From the hints both she and GDT have been dropping, I don’t think her character is an innocent, screaming victim in CP. GDT described her role as the antagonist.
And I’ll take that seven months vacation with Hiddles, thank you!
I imagine Lucille as an hysterical woman, yelling at his sister- in- law all the time.
I’m not sure that I agree that she doesn’t give “look at me” quotes to the press. What about her snafu regarding Meryl Streep being cast in too many roles? She ended up having to backtrack on her social media. There have been some other things pretty recently that have made me give her the major side eye.
I am getting so sick of her. I realize that she’s almost 38 and the roles are going to dry up soon. But she’s been in 4 movies in 2014 and will be in about a zillion next year. I think that’s why her comment about Meryl rubbed people the wrong way, actually. And she tries to push herself into the awards circuit for every role that she does — her stans on the internet are so ridiculous about it.
She pings. A lot!
Honk, but only if JC has a photo call.
does anybody know the brand of the bag?
+1 Love the bag.
My first instinct is to say Ralph Lauren based on the buckle/clasp thingee. And not his downmarket, licensed line, but straight off the runway. Spring 2015 probs. Prepare to sacrifice a mortgage payment if you want it for your very own. Has to be at least $1500-3000 retail, depending on type of leather.
Yep – Ralph Lauren. http://www.fashionfoiegras.com/2014/09/the-beauty-of-ralph-lauren-ss15.html
Damn, I’m good… oh, and humble too!
I don’t believe that she doesn’t want to be famous.. she does a lot events and goes on too many pap walks for someone trying to be private and not famous. She and other people can say that because no one is really paying to much attention to her. I still like her but i’m getting tired of her quickly and also her desperate attempt to get awards and creating buzz for every single movie she is in.
Oh wow I sound so bitter hahaha. Something nice: I love the black coat.
Unpopular opinion: I don’t like her. If she’s in a movie, it’s an immediate turn off for me. She’s pretty and probably a nice person (You never know in Hollywood land) but I cannot stand her for some unknown reason.
I am completely fine with never hearing one single thing about Jessica Chastain. Not every actor should be, or even *can* be, a “celebrity.” To be a celebrity, which I think of as playing a role in an ongoing real-life soap opera for the public’s amusement and entertainment, you have to have something going on *as a person* — you have to be crazy or dating/married to another famous person (as JC says) or be on the verge of a nervous breakdown all the time or be scandalicious — you can’t just be a regular person. It’s totally fine by me that some people just want to be actors, not in the eye of public all the time.
I actually like coming here to read about people that I never see in any other capacity *but* as celebrities. I try to let actors be just actors so that I can enjoy their performances on my screen. But the Amanda Bynes and Kardashians and Lena Dunhams of the work, whose “work” I never watch — they are good subjects of gossip since (for me, anyway) their only role in my entertainment landscape is to be gossipped about.
Not anywhere does it say anything about Tommy being the reason she was drained from the role. I think it was the role it self. Way to throw poor Tommy under the bus!
Yea, if anything, he’s got to be the easiest person to work with based on the director commentaries, crew social media posts, and fellow actor interviews.
+ 1000.
+1000, 000 😍😍😍
Sorry forgot the comma lol. + 1, 000, 000
I adore that black dress.
“I’m a shadow whisperer”
My eyes hurt from rolling them back in my head so far.
I think that’s her problem right there. And someone else higher up in the thread said she comes across a bit “precious.” I think she had some formal training in NYC (in theatre) and she’s just a little too square in her interviews, which can irritate people. Personally, I find her absolutely stunning to look at and I love her red carpet looks (always feminine, classy, and elegant; check out her Oscars 2012, Interstellar NYC premiere, and Cannes 2014). But she doesn’t give Meryl Streep or Cate Blanchett type performances; those ladies are more high energy and analytical. I like Jessica and her acting’s certainly very good but some of her interviews do come across as precious. But at least she’s not just here to please people.
Let’s talk about Oscar Issac. What an amazing actor. I hope he gets more and more mainstream. He’s one of the top 10 actors right now.
She’s got a bigger forehead than Twiddles.
I clicked expecting to read a conspiracy! Hello…she took off seven months? She had a Hiddles baby and is hiding the future Prince or Princess of the Flys! She is “mysterious” after all.
This!!!
LOL The Little Prince of Dragonflies Tom II. Like it.
Please someone explain to me how on earth people can walk round in shoes with heels that high, especially for more than three minutes?
I like Jess and enjoy her coverage. I actually think she often looks elegant and stunning and find more inspiration from her beauty and fashion than many others.
I’ve been completely in love with Jessica’s work since ‘The Help’, ‘The Debt’, and the horribly heartbreaking/beautiful performance she put into the title character in ‘Jolene’ (is there any role she can’t entirely disappear into??) but this new one’s preview almost stopped my movie-loving heart: Oscar Isaac AND Chastain together in a mob movie set in the (very realistic looking) early 80’s?! YASSSS. 😄
I am reminded of Jim Beaver’s diary on Crimson Peak. This entry in particular:
Jim BeaverApril 25, 9:51pm
@jumblejim Into our second hour of listening to Jessica Chastain play the same 3 bars of music on the piano. Beautiful, but getting a bit familiar.
She’s okay, but boring. And no matter what she wears, she always has the same general styling, so even her fashion isn’t particularly interesting.