Jessica Chastain: A Beautiful Mind

Among all the stars in Hollywood, Jessica Chastain is quite unlike the others. As mysterious as she is about her private life, she never hesitates to speak up about social issues, especially gender equality issues and mental health. She truly is a celebrity with a conscience.

This multifaceted lady juggles between actor and producer with great intensity. Powerful and sensitive, she always has a voice. So much so that after any interaction with her, you almost feel overwhelmed. The redhead, born in California in 1977, is not only strong and intelligent but can also play emotional roles like in The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick or Zero Dark Thirty by Kathryn Bigelow, for which she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Film. We catch up with the ravishing Jessica Chastain, and she talks about her work with Liv Ullmann, her love for Clara Bow and shares her opinion on the place of women in cinema.

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You are currently shooting for a Susanna White film, Woman Walks Ahead, the story of Catherine Weldon, who went to Dakota to help an Indian chief conserve his land. Tell us about your experience.

The life and works of this woman really moved me. In school, one rarely ever speaks of women and history, it is too often written only by the victorious. And largely, these do not include women, American Indians or other minorities. A lot of these heroes remain in the shadows. The story of Catherine Weldon and the chief, Sitting Bull, overwhelmed me because it is about one person helping the other. It is the adventure of two people living in the 1890s, in two different worlds, where they are not considered equals. This woman did not have the right to vote, and she takes the risk of going on this adventure with Sitting Bull.

Another fascinating story is that of The Zookeeper’s Wife, by Niki Caro. How different was it?

When you think of a hero, you think of someone who fights against violence and someone who is victorious at the end. But Antonia is not that type of heroine: her strongest weapons are compassion, empathy and her love for animals. She is capable of healing those who are suffering, in spite of a difficult childhood she escaped from Russia, her father was killed and she lived in extreme conditions. In fact, she is grateful to the animals for having saved her.

What was it like working with Liv Ullmann?

She is an icon not only as an actress but also as a filmmaker.

She is unbelievable. Her level of sensitivity is very rare. On the set, she was so open-minded and had a child-like innocence. We were doing a scene where a bird was killed and my character was reacting to this. Liv was so moved by this scene. I had never seen this with any filmmaker before. In my opinion, this sensitivity is one of the most beautiful qualities that a person can possess.

You had once said in an interview that it is important for women to be portrayed as fallible, even though they are strong characters, and that not showing a woman’s flaws 'does not do justice to her'.

For me, all women are strong. For women, this strength is innate. For that matter, men are strong too. In fact, we all have our own strengths within us. What I want to say is that I choose roles that are not only well-written but those that represent interesting human beings. A female protagonist can make mistakes and do crazy things, but I need to be able to understand who she is. I hate it when an actress is used as a mere accessory. And the same thing applies to minorities too. In the past few years, diversity has become an important theme in cinema. In the past, people were complacent, blind and lazy. But in the past few years, people are beginning to question things more directly and are becoming more open-minded. This is really inspiring. Today, the whole world is saying one thing: “Tell us the story of ALL the people who make up our current world, not just the ones who are in the majority.”

You spoke out about the difference in salaries between men and women in Hollywood. You said that women and men need to come together to discuss this issue.

Yes, I made a speech on diversity at the Critic’s Choice Awards, and then I was in London for the promotions of A Most Violent Year, when someone asked me, 'what are you going to do about this?' That’s when I stopped and asked myself, 'that’s true, what AM I going to do about this?' Since I was speaking about salary differences, I decided to not accept any unfair treatment. This could mean refusing a role that you really want to do. There comes a time, when you have to take a stand. My aim now is to work with a female filmmaker every year. Just talking about it is not going to help. There are so many superb female filmmakers who have not had their chance. We can help remedy this.

You worked with John Madden on Miss Sloane, the story of a lobbyist who is fighting against the proliferation of arms, a complex and delicate role. How did you prepare for it?

It was very important for me to meet female lobbyists. When you play the part of someone who is a minority in her profession, you need to experience what she does on a daily basis. I did my own research and found fifteen female lobbyists who told me about their struggles and fights. I also met Gabby Giffords who founded the organisation Americans for Responsible Solutions. I wanted to understand her point of view on the firearms debate.

You always surprise us with the diversity of your roles and the choice of filmmakers that you work with. In Hollywood, have you ever felt like you have been put into a box?

The most important thing is choice: what you accept and what you refuse. You create your life and what is around you. If you base your choices on fear, you will never learn anything. In The Tree of Life, and Take Shelter, I was playing the wife of the hero, a second fiddle role, if you will. I started receiving scripts where all my roles would be similar. The Tree of Life received the Palme d’Or in Cannes and following this I worked on Mama a horror film about a mother who neglects her children. It is a 180-degree turn. I know that many people were surprised with this. But for me, it has never been a strategy. I do not want people to think they know me. I prefer mystery.

Bette Davis once said, 'without mystery, without a vision, acting is just another job. With all that, it is an art.'

I love Bette Davis!

Are there any other classic actresses that inspire you?

Yes, Clara Bow. I read her biography, her childhood and how difficult it was for her to enter films. Have you watched the documentary Girl 27?

Yes, the one by David Stenn?

Every day when I am on the set, I feel gratitude for the ladies before my time. Because they struggled and suffered. This documentary is really difficult to watch. I will not forget actresses like Clara Bow. I will never forget what these women had to go through to assert themselves.

Photographs by Dusan Reljin. Styling by Erica Pelosini. Woollen jacket, PRADA. Lycra body suit, WOLFORD. Neckpiece with diamonds and precious stones, “Limelight Couture Precieuse” collection, PIAGET. Woollen jacket and leggings, PRADA. Lycra body suit, WOLFORD. Neckpiece and ring with diamonds and precious stones, “Limelight Couture Precieuse” collection, PIAGET. Woollen jacket, PRADA. Neckpiece and ring with diamonds and precious stones, “Limelight Couture Precieuse” collection, PIAGET. Hair by: Renato Campora. Makeup by: Rachel Goodwin. Manicure by: Christian Aviles. Photo assistants: Jeremy Jackson and Michael Yates. Styling assistant: Marc Berger. Embroidered dress, PRADA. “Decor Palace” rose gold and diamond ring, “Extremely Piaget” collection, PIAGET.

From the November 2016 issue of L’Officiel India.