Jessica Chastain on Becoming the 5th Help Star to Win Oscar

Jessica Chastain was destined to win an Academy Award.

Following the premiere of The Help in 2011, four of the female cast members have gone on to win an Oscar and Jessica just became the fifth. The actress spoke about the success of the cast backstage at the 2022 Oscars, giving credit to director Tate Taylor for his ability to recognize talent. “I definitely wasn’t the obvious choice for the part of Celia Foote,” she explained. “I didn’t look like her. I didn’t sound like her. And he fought for me for that role and it really goes to show his respect and his admiration for actresses.”

The March 27 ceremony saw the Eyes of Tammy Faye actress win her first-ever Academy Award more than 10 years after she was first nominated. Back then, she was recognized for her supporting role in The Help alongside co-star, Octavia Spencer, who ultimately took home the award for her portrayal of Mini Jackson.

Now, a decade later, Jessica has the privilege of saying that she, Octavia, Allison Janney, Viola Davis and Emma Stone are all Academy Award winners.