Jessica Chastain

Photo of Jessica Chastain

Biography

With her piercing gaze and a commanding presence, it came as no surprise that Jessica Chastain went from being a relative newcomer to acting in high-profile roles opposite seasoned actors like Brad Pitt and Helen Mirren seemingly overnight. The classically trained actress jumpstarted her career with appearances on hit television dramas, before landing the lead role in "Jolene" (2008), which centered on a brave woman's 10-year journey across …
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Job Title

Actor

Born

March 29, 1977

Career Milestones

2013

Co-starred with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in horror feature "Mama"

2012

Starred as a CIA analyst in Kathryn Bigelow directed "Zero Dark Thirty," based on the hunt for Osama bin Laden

2012

Made Broadway debut in "The Heiress," based on Henry James novel Washington Square

2012

Co-starred with Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy in Prohibition-era Western "Lawless"

2012

Voiced character of Gia in "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted"

2012

Cast as Virgilia in the feature adaptation of Shakespeare's "Coriolanus," directed by Ralph Fiennes

2011

Co-starred with Michael Shannon in "Take Shelter"

2011

Played a young version of Helen Mirren's character, a Mossad agent who hunted down a former Nazi doctor in 1960s East Germany, in "The Debt"

2011

Landed featured role in the drama "The Help," based on Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel

2011

Cast as Brad Pitt's wife in Terence Malick's "The Tree of Life"

2010

Reprised title character in "Wilde Salome," based on Oscar Wilde's 1891 tragic play, directed by and co-starring Al Pacino

2008

Made film debut as the title role in "Jolene"

2006

Played opposite Al Pacino in Oscar Wilde's controversial play "Salome" at the Wadsworth Theatre in Los Angeles, CA

2005

Played recurring role of an assistant DA named Sigrun Borg on NBC's "Law & Order: Trial by Jury"

2004

Cast as Anya in the Williamstown Theatre Festival production of "The Cherry Orchard"

2004

Appeared on the shows "ER" (NBC) and "Veronica Mars" (UPN)

During senior year at Juilliard, signed a contract with television producer John Wells to appear on some of his shows

Awards

2012

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female in Take Shelter

2012

Academy Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Zero Dark Thirty

2012

BAFTA Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Zero Dark Thirty

2012

Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in Zero Dark Thirty

2012

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in Zero Dark Thirty

2012

National Board of Review Award for Best Actress in Zero Dark Thirty

2012

Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress in Zero Dark Thirty

2012

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama in Zero Dark Thirty

2012

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in Zero Dark Thirty

2011

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress in Coriolanus

2011

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor in Take Shelter

2011

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress in Take Shelter

2011

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress in Take Shelter

2011

Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Performance, Female in Take Shelter

2011

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress in Texas Killing Fields

2011

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Debt

2011

Academy Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in The Help

2011

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in The Help

2011

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Help

2011

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Help

2011

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Help

2011

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in The Help

2011

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in The Help

2011

BAFTA Award for Supporting Actress in The Help

2011

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Tree of Life

2011

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Tree of Life

2011

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Tree of Life

2011

Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Performance, Female in The Tree of Life

2008

Seattle International Film Festival for Best Actress Gold Space Needle Award in Jolene