
Her parents were both teenagers when she was born. Jessica Michelle Chastain was born on March 24, 1977, in Sacramento, California, to Jerri Renee Hastey (née Chastain) and rock musician Michael Monasterio.

In 2012, she won a Golden Globe Award and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for playing a CIA analyst in the thriller Zero Dark Thirty.

Her performance as an aspiring socialite in The Help earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also took on roles in the stage productions of Anton Chekhov's play The Cherry Orchard in 2004 and Oscar Wilde's tragedy Salome in 2006.Ĭhastain made her film debut in the drama Jolene (2008), and gained wide recognition in 2011 for starring roles in half a dozen films, including the dramas Take Shelter and The Tree of Life. She was a recurring guest star in several television series, including Law & Order: Trial by Jury. After studying acting at the Juilliard School, she was signed to a talent holding deal with the television producer John Wells. In 1998, she made her professional stage debut as Shakespeare's Juliet. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012.īorn and raised in Sacramento, California, Chastain developed an interest in acting from an early age. Known for her roles in films with feminist themes, she is the recipient of various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards and two British Academy Film Awards. Jessica Michelle Chastain (born March 24, 1977) is an American actress and film producer.
