Sacramento’s Jessica Chastain wins Best Actress at the Oscars — here’s what she said onstage
Jessica Chastain took home Oscar gold on Sunday night and she was awed by the moment.
The Sacramento-born actress won Best Actress at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday night in Hollywood for her portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
Chastain, who turns 45 on Thursday, also was a producer on the film about the televangelist. She shepherded the project for years after first acquiring the rights to Bakker’s life in 2012, when she saw the documentary the film is based on. Bakker died of cancer at age 65 in 2007.
“I still can’t understand I’m holding an Oscar,” Chastain said backstage.
This is the first Oscar and third nomination for Chastain, who attended Sacramento City College, performed at Sacramento Theater Co. and made her professional stage debut in the Bay Area before heading to Julliard on a scholarship funded by Robin Williams, exploded on the scene in 2011 with her Best Supporting Actress-nominated turn in “The Help.”
Two years later, in 2013, Chastain received her second Oscars nod, this time for Best Actress for “Zero Dark Thirty.”
Chastain, who collected Screen Actors Guild and Critics Choice awards for the role, prevailed over Olivia Colman of “The Lost Daughter,” Penélope Cruz of “Parallel Mothers,” Nicole Kidman of “Being the Ricardos,” and Kristen Stewart of “Spencer.”
“I’ve been working on this for a decade,” Chastain told “The Next Best Picture,” calling her role and the picture a career peak.
“I define the peak as when the career connected with something personal,” Chastain said on the podcast. “There’s something about playing Tammy that has taught me so much about myself .... It’s so much more bold to just be an open, sensitive human being.”
The award was presented by Anthony Hopkins, who last year was absent when he surprisingly won best actor in that ceremony’s final award.
In her acceptance speech in front of the Dolby Theatre crowd in her lavender-and-gold ombré Gucci gown, Chastain thanked the woman she played, whose groundbreaking and compassionate 1985 interview with Steve Pieters, a gay Christian pastor living with AIDS, brought the epidemic and gay rights to televisions across the nation in an era when homophobic sentiment was rising.
“Right now, we are coming out of some difficult times, that have been filled with a lot of trauma and isolation,” Chastain said. “And so many people out there feel hopelessness — and they feel alone — and suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. It’s touched many families, it’s touched mine.
“And especially members of the LGBTQ community who oftentimes feel out of place with their peers. ... We’re faced with discriminatory and bigoted legislation that is sweeping our country with the only goal of further dividing us. There’s violence and hate crimes being perpetuated on innocent civilians all over the world, and in times like this I think of Tammy and I’m inspired by her radical acts of love. We’ve talked about love a lot tonight.
“And I’m inspired by her compassion, and I see it as a guiding principle that leads us forward. And it connects us all — in the desire that we want to be accepted for who we are, accepted for who we love, and to live a life without the fear of violence or terror.
“And for any of you out there who do, in fact, feel hopeless or alone, I just want you to know that you are unconditionally loved for the uniqueness that is you.”
For the annual Oscars luncheon held earlier this month, Chastain brought Pieters as her date.
Chastain is nearly unrecognizable in the film due to the physical transformation she underwent to portray Bakker over the course of 30 years. She wore prosthetics on her face, false teeth for certain scenes and changed hair colors and styles.
The movie’s makeup and hairstyling team — Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh — had netted the award for Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling hours before Chastain’s win, but was shown before Chastain’s category was called.
Hair and makeup was one of several categories presented before the show, and Chastain was on-hand inside the Dolby to support her team while the red-carpet arrivals took place outside.
“I will absolutely be present when the Makeup and Hairstyle category is being called,” Chastain told The Next Best Picture podcast, as first reported by Town & Country. “If that means I’m not doing press on the red carpet or ABC, or whatever it is, then so be it. The most important thing to me is to honor the incredible artisans who work in our industry.”
Chastain sings several songs in the film. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the acting but not the screenplay. The film grossed a paltry $2.7 million during its run in theaters before being made available via streaming.
Kotsur has capital connection
Another winner with Sacramento roots was crowned earlier Sunday when Troy Kotsur took home the award for best-supporting actor for his role in “CODA.”
The first deaf male actor nominated for an Oscar — who is a native of Mesa, Arizona, but had worked at Sacramento Theater Co. in the late 1990s — literally fell out of his chair when his nomination was announced in a video that went viral earlier this year. He continued to charm Hollywood and by Oscar night Kotsur, who plays a randy father in the film about a deaf family with a hearing child, was a clear favorite.
Still, his win was emotional — many in the audience, including Chastain, Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman, responded with waving hands — what is known as a deaf clap. Even his interpreter choked up during Kotsur’s speech. He joined “CODA” co-star Marlee Matlin as the only deaf Oscar winners.
The star-studded audience rose to its feet for Kotsur, a heavy favorite going in after already winning trophies from the British Academy Film Awards, SAG, Critics’ Choice and Independent Spirit.
Presenter Youn Yuh-jung, last year’s supporting actress winner, signed Kotsur’s name before announcing it. She handed the Oscar to Kotsur, then quickly grabbed it back, freeing his hands to make his comments in American Sign Language. An interpreter joined them on stage and choked up while delivering Kotsur’s remarks.
The 53-year-old’s televised speeches at the other shows where he won were a highlight each time, and he didn’t disappoint in his moment of a lifetime.
“I just wanted to say this is dedicated to the Deaf community, the CODA community and the disabled community,” Kotsur signed. “This is our moment.”
He had expressed gratitude for the recognition “CODA” brought him after enduring years of financial struggles. Kotsur’s career has received a welcomed boost as a result of the accolades.
“This is just the beginning for me. This is a new chapter,” Kotsur said. “My question is, is Hollywood ready for a new step forward?”
Kotsur won the Oscar over Ciarán Hinds of “Belfast,” Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee of “The Power of the Dog,” and J.K. Simmons of “Being the Ricardos.”
This story was originally published March 27, 2022 at 8:34 PM.
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