Random Talks on the Female Characters by Jessica Chastain

"The Eyes of Tammy Faye" has had a significant impact on Jessica Chastain, particularly in the recognition she has received for portraying a series of modern career women in recent years. These characters align with the current global trend of women's awakening and feminist movements, forming a group portrait with historical significance. As the documentary "Woman" states: "strength and beauty must go together."

I first noticed Jessica in the critically acclaimed but divisive film "The Tree of Life” (2011) and later in the female ensemble drama "The Help." In "The Tree of Life," the director's religious vision dominates the film, with the camera serving as an embodiment of that vision, moving between characters and the natural environment with various wandering, peeking, and playful gazes. Jessica's performance stood out as she resisted the suppression of the director's will and the intrusive probing of the camera, particularly in the scene where she loses her child. The camera's sudden, close scrutiny of the crying mother from below evokes an image reminiscent of the Virgin Mary, capturing her deep sorrow and subsequent relief.

Personally, I prefer Jessica's portrayal in "The Help." Unlike her later strong female characters, her portrayal of Celia is a true "dumb blonde" from the southern United States in the 1960s. Such characters often become the object of desire for male characters or come across as flat and unlikable due to their beauty and naivety. However, Jessica's performance is anything but ordinary. Whether she is jumping up with her Marilyn Monroe-like blonde hair to hug the black maid applying for a job, or nervously standing at the table in her bright red dress, thanking the black maid for her cooking skills while unaware of her own beauty, Jessica brings depth to the character. Her performance highlights the true meaning of the movie's title, "The Help." It's worth noting that after Jessica won an award this year, seven actresses from "The Help" have also won Oscars for leading and supporting roles. Looking back ten years later, "The Help" remains a rare female-centered film.

Just providing multiple diverse and rich roles for actresses of all ages, rather than just "props," is already worth learning from current (borderless) filmmakers.

Jessica's first nomination for the Best Actress Oscar and her win at the Golden Globe for "Zero Dark Thirty" (2012) was a game-changer with Kathryn Bigelow. It was a collaboration between two exceptional female filmmakers, not some "California nobody" and "Cameron ex-wife" - shortly before, Kathryn became the second woman after Jane Campion to win the Best Director Oscar for "The Hurt Locker."

In essence, Kathryn's female perspective subtly transformed what could have been a typical American action movie into a story about violence against violence. Jessica's portrayal of the emotional layers and shifts in just two and a half hours conveyed the depth that Kathryn had instilled in the story - hunting Osama bin Laden was about using violence to counteract violence.

The film not only depicted the CIA's relentless mental and physical abuse of suspects to obtain information but also the toll it takes on those who perform such work. Those who claim to stop violence by committing it themselves are consumed, deprived, and tormented by violence. Jessica, with her striking red hair flowing behind her headscarf amidst the ruins and desert, was both stunning and exhausted. As terrorist attacks continued, tracking efforts failed, and comrades left, the agent played by Jessica showed no more emotions in the face of violence.

In my opinion, the most touching moment in the whole movie is not Jessica's outburst to her boss in the Oscar-nominated scene, but the sudden tears at the end when she walks onto the plane alone, not knowing where to go. In just a few seconds, Jessica conveyed a sense of exhaustion and general disappointment. Obviously, some of the passion and life of this agent who spent a decade searching for Bin Laden has been buried in that lost decade. The violence that plagues this world will not decrease with Bin Laden's death. No matter where she goes next, her homeland no longer exists.

Although the success of "Zero Dark Thirty" did not bring Jessica an Oscar, it brought her a lot of exposure. Famous directors and blockbusters have also favored this actress who emerged in her thirties: Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" (2014), Ridley Scott's "The Martian" (2015), Guillermo del Toro's "Crimson Peak" (2015)... Although these genre films are destined not to give much room for actresses to perform, Jessica diligently completes her role and serves the overall expression of the film. In "Interstellar", for example, when Murphy cries and says "I am now old enough for you to leave, but you haven't returned yet", and then stops the video, it is the father-daughter relationship that supports the entire story of "Interstellar" and makes interstellar travel possible - which also touches us.

Perhaps, compared to the opportunity to play the lead role, Jessica cherishes more the opportunity to work with outstanding directors and serve good scripts and high-quality productions. It is this dedication that allows her to constantly "show up", accumulating industry reputation and audience favour.

Jessica was nominated for a Golden Globe again in 2016 for her role in "Miss Sloane". This film has a strong realistic tone. The clear anti-gun sentiment, coming in the year of the US presidential election, naturally sets an agenda. Jessica's character, Miss Sloane, is precisely one who influences, sets, and even reverses agendas. Her main activity is persuasion. She uses any means necessary to persuade, even using close colleagues and friends as tools. There is no personal emotion beyond persuasion. However, the most interesting part of the film is the gradual revelation that such selfishness and cruelty, such instrumental rationality, ultimately serve the noble purpose of gun control. It should be said that the twist at the end of "Miss Sloane" is not very convincing, and its portrayal of the functioning of American democracy seems simplistic. This workaholic character is a familiar role for Jessica.

Nevertheless, this machine-like, emotionless career woman who only cares about winning or losing is highly relevant to reality - unlike the evil characters in "Monster" who gradually become twisted due to tragic experiences (a common trope in cinema), or those who derive pleasure from causing harm and are completely evil. Miss Sloane, who has no clear distinction between good and evil, neither elicits sympathy nor provides catharsis, expands the possibilities for expressing and writing female subjectivity in contemporary society.

The 2017 Golden Globe-nominated "Molly's Game" is no different: the rebellious Harvard Law School freshman who chooses to sell wine, transitioning from an assistant at illegal poker games to a host of "legitimate" ones. These poker games provide a platform for the various desires of the upper class and elite, while Molly observes coldly as they gamble away their fortunes. While the film seems contradictory in emphasizing that Molly doesn't sell her body while having Jessica wear low-cut dresses to showcase her sexuality, it breaks away from the traditional dichotomy of women on screen as either virtuous wives ("Maria") or seductive villains ("Medea").

As a result, Jessica's role in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" feels like a natural progression. The historical figure she portrays has been controversial, achieving success during a time when television was taking off but being ultimately discarded by audiences when more sensational programming captured their attention. Jessica embodies this vibrant and ambitious woman through darkened hair, exaggerated eyeshadow, and aged makeup.

Upon comparing the historic footage of the real person with Jessica's performance, it becomes evident that her impersonation of the individual's accent is spot-on. Her overly dramatic sobbing, either intentionally done or simply exaggerated, ironically captures the complexity of the character - just as we can never know whether the historical figure genuinely appealed to audiences with their genuine religious fervor or if they were skillfully manipulating them through their performances.

Through Jessica's work, I want to convey that we can appreciate and remember extraordinary female characters both on screen and in reality. Women can possess desires and be powerful.