<p>From noble lineage to celebrity BFFs, here are all the facts to know about the Hollywood actress.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-start="138" data-end="531">Born in Sacramento, California, actor <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jessica-chastain-best-red-carpet-looks-oscar-isaac-movies-the-eyes-of-tammy-faye-scenes-from-a-marriage-2021">Jessica Chastain</a> rose to Hollywood prominence through her transformative performances and strong advocacy for change in the industry. After earning a scholarship to New York City&rsquo;s Juilliard School, Chastain trained in classical theater before launching a film and television career marked by emotional range and fierce intelligence.</p>
<p data-start="533" data-end="853">She got her start in productions like <em data-start="571" data-end="599">Law &amp; Order: Trial by Jury</em> and a stage performance of <em data-start="627" data-end="647">The Cherry Orchard</em>, but her big-screen debut came in 2008 with <em data-start="692" data-end="700">Jolene</em>, where she played a 15-year-old orphan navigating independence. Since then, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/jessica-chastain-actress-fashion-history-video">Chastain</a> has become one of Hollywood&rsquo;s most respected and versatile talents.</p>
<p data-start="855" data-end="1119">From CIA analysts to televangelists, she&rsquo;s proven herself capable of inhabiting an extraordinary range of characters. She&rsquo;s also a producer, an advocate, a mother, and, as of 2025, a Harvard student. Read on for 15 things you might not know about Jessica Chastain.</p>

<p>Both starring in the blockbuster film <em>The Help</em>, Chastain and Octavia Spencer became fast friends off the screen. In 2018, Spencer revealed that <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jessica-chastain-helped-octavia-spencer-get-equal-pay">Chastain helped her receive equal pay</a> after she was offered five times less than her white counterparts for a comedy film.</p>

Getty Images

She is close friends with Octavia Spencer.

<p>In July of 2025, Chastain returns to school at Harvard University to earn a Master's degree in public administration.</p>

She is pursuing a Master's degree.

<p>Chastain dropped out of high school due to frequent absences, but later earned her adult diploma and became the first person in her family to finish high school and go to college with her Julliard degree.</p>

Jessica Chastain and her grandmother Marilyn Herst. Getty Images.

She is a first generation high school and college graduate.

<p>Chastain's husband, <span>Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, works in fashion and is directly related to Italian nobility. The pair married in 2017 and had their first daughter, Giulietta, in 2018 and a second child in 2020.</span></p>

Jessica Chastain and Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo. Getty Images.

Her husband is a descendant of nobility.

<p>While in high school, Chastain joined the drama club and delved into a bevy of iconic plays and playwrights. A self-proclaimed "Shakespeare Geek," the actress fell in love with the writer's work after visiting a <span>Shakespeare Festival with her class.</span></p>

She loves Shakespeare.

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/isabelle-huppert-actress-interview-film-cover">Isabelle Huppert</a>, the French actress known for her roles in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Piano Teacher</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Violette Nozi&egrave;re</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, has been a major source of inspiration for Chastain. Inspired by Huppert's portrayal of cold and disdainful characters, Chastain continues to look to the iconic actress for film tips and tricks.</span></p>

She is inspired by Isabelle Huppert.

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Chastain first attended Juilliard and began acting, she experienced bouts of anxiety and depression. Since then, the actress has been involved with several non-profits, most notably To Write Love on Her Arms. Coupled with her own experience, Chastain began to be involved in mental health advocacy after her sister's suicide and currently works to advance causes related to the field.</span></p>

She is vocal about mental health issues.

<p>In 2016, the actress founded her TV production company, Freckle Films. The company is headed by a team of all-female executives focused on bringing more women into leadership roles in film production. Freckle Films has produced several notable projects starring Chastain herself, including <em data-start="89" data-end="94">Ava</em> (2020), <em data-start="103" data-end="127">The Eyes of Tammy Faye</em> (2021), <em data-start="136" data-end="145">The 355</em> (2022), and the Showtime miniseries <em data-start="182" data-end="198">George &amp; Tammy</em> (2022).</p>

She founded a TV production company.

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2007, the actress converted to veganism after being a pescetarian for several years prior. Chastain credits the lifestyle for an increased feeling of energy and only buys cruelty-free beauty and makeup products. </span></p>

She is vegan.

<p data-start="405" data-end="596">Chastain once snuck into a public screening of <em data-start="446" data-end="456">The Help</em> just to hear what audiences were saying. She wore a hoodie and sunglasses, and sat in the back row eating popcorn like a regular moviegoer.</p>

She once snuck into a screening of her own movie.

<p>Along with mental health advocacy, Chastain often speaks out<span> against the discrimination and inequalities faced by women in Hollywood. Over the years, the actress has advocated for more female film critics and female representation on film crews and sets. In 2018, Chastain and over 300 women in Hollywood founded the Time's Up initiative which aims to shield women against workplace sexual harassment and discrimination.&nbsp;</span></p>

She is an advocate for gender equality.

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<p data-start="656" data-end="865">Though she&rsquo;s known for Shakespeare and prestige films, Jessica has admitted to bingeing <em data-start="744" data-end="765">The Real Housewives</em> franchise when she needs to unwind. &ldquo;You&rsquo;d be surprised what I watch in sweatpants,&rdquo; she once said.</p>
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She loves reality TV.

<p>Since her husband, Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, is Italian, Chastain has embraced the language and culture, becoming fluent in Italian herself. The actress has spoken in interviews about how learning the language not only allows her to connect more deeply with her husband&rsquo;s family, but also gives her a greater appreciation for their traditions and heritage.</p>

She speaks fluent Italian.

<p>Jessica loves animals and has adopted multiple rescue dogs, including a three-legged pup named Chaplin, whom she called &ldquo;the love of my life.&rdquo; She also has two others: Radley, a corgi‑spaniel mix, and Roman, a chihuahua mix.</p>

She loves animals.

<p>Always going above and beyond for acting roles, Chastain learned German and the fighting style of Krav Maga for her character in <em>The Debt</em>. The actress portrayed an Israeli agent in the film and effortlessly adapted to the physical rigor of the role.</p>

15 Facts to Know About Jessica Chastain

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