Jessica Chastain is an American actress and film producer born on March 24, 1977, in Sacramento, California, USA. She studied acting at the Juilliard School in New York, where she received formal classical training before beginning her professional stage and screen career. Early in her career, she worked extensively in theatre and television guest roles before transitioning into feature films. Her breakthrough came in 2011 with a series of critically acclaimed performances in films such as The Help, The Tree of Life, and Take Shelter. These roles established her as one of the most prominent new actresses in American cinema, earning her major award nominations and widespread critical reco...