Biographie

Kathryn Bigelow decided to offer the lead role of Maya to her after seeing an early cut of Ennemis jurés (2011). Her agents originally declined the role of Maya for her in Zero Dark Thirty (2012). Producer Megan Ellison, who had worked with Chastain on Des hommes sans loi (2012), gave Kathryn Bigelow Chastain's phone number so she could personally offer her the role. Chastain accepted.

Learned German and Krav Maga for L'Affaire Rachel Singer (2010).

Was once roommates with Michelle Williams They were both nominated for Oscars in 2012 and have remained good friends.

Has expressed an interest in playing the Batman villain Poison Ivy in a film.

Before her film career, she toured in a stage production of "Othello" with Philip Seymour Hoffman.

I was a difficult child because I wanted to be the mom.

I don't look modern. I'm not the girl that would walk into the room and everyone goes, "Oh!"

[on being directed by Terrence Malick in The Tree of Life (2011)] I would have pages of what we were going to convey, but I could say the words in any order I wanted, and sometimes we would say the same thing in many different ways... I think he will always be the greatest teacher I know. I'm trying, in the Terrence Malick kind of way of not planning and just allowing life to happen, trying to find these moments that mirror life and [are] not preconceived in any way. So that has changed me. I try to keep that freshness in things we've done.

[on rehearsals] They'll say, "Save it, save it". I tell them: "Don't worry. I have a bottomless well of tears."

Sometimes I'll have a meeting with someone and they'll say, "Oh, Sean Penn was just here and was saying the nicest things about you". You know, when you're applying for a job? These are like my recommendations. It's nice.