Jessica Chastain is an Oscar-winning American actress and film producer admired for taking on bold, demanding roles in both independent films and major studio releases. Born on 24 March 1977 in Sacramento, California, she is 49 years old as of October 2026.
Chastain broke through with Take Shelter and The Tree of Life in 2011, earned an Academy Award nomination for The Help, and later won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021). She recently headlined the horror hit Other Mommy (2026) movie. If you enjoy star biographies, also check out our Natalie Portman biography and Meryl Streep biography.
Image: Jessica Chastain at the Berlin International Film Festival, February 2025
Early Life
Jessica Michelle Chastain was born on 24 March 1977 in Sacramento, California. She developed a passion for acting early in life and went on to study at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, graduating in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Her professional stage debut came in 1998, when she played Shakespeare's Juliet, and she later appeared in television guest roles, including an episode of Law & Order: Trial by Jury.
Career Breakthrough
Chastain made her film debut in Jolene (2008), but her real breakthrough arrived in 2011 with standout performances in Take Shelter and The Tree of Life. She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for The Help (2011), followed by a Golden Globe win and another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Zero Dark Thirty (2012).
Her highest-grossing films include Interstellar (2014), The Martian (2015) and It Chapter Two (2019), while critically praised turns in A Most Violent Year (2014), Miss Sloane (2016), Molly's Game (2017) and The Good Nurse (2022) cemented her reputation. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021), in which she played Tammy Faye Bakker and also served as a producer. She later portrayed country singer Tammy Wynette in the miniseries George & Tammy (2022), and returned to Broadway in The Heiress (2012) and A Doll's House (2023), the latter earning her a Tony Award nomination.
Recent Work
Chastain currently headlines the Blumhouse and Atomic Monster horror film Other Mommy (2026) in a dual role. Adapted from Josh Malerman's novel Incidents Around the House and directed by Rob Savage, the film released on 9 October 2026 and debuted at No. 1 at the US box office with an opening weekend of around $28 million. Read our full report on the Other Mommy box office opening.
Personal Life
Chastain married Italian fashion executive Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo in 2017, and the couple have two children. Beyond acting, she founded the production company Freckle Films to promote diversity in film, is an investor in the soccer club Angel City FC, and was named to Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official trailer for Dreams, starring Jessica Chastain, below:
FAQ
How old is Jessica Chastain?
Jessica Chastain is 49 years old as of October 2026. She was born on 24 March 1977 in Sacramento, California.
For which movie did Jessica Chastain win the Oscar?
She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021), in which she played televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker and also produced the film.
What is Jessica Chastain's latest movie?
Her latest release is Other Mommy (2026), a Blumhouse and Atomic Monster horror film in which she plays a dual role. It released on 9 October 2026 and opened at No. 1 at the US box office with around $28 million in its first weekend.
Who is Jessica Chastain married to?
She has been married to Italian fashion executive Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo since 2017, and they have two children together.
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