Jessica Chastain has made clear that she’ll be supporting the “Eyes of Tammy Faye” makeup team at the upcoming Oscars ― even if that means missing the red carpet herself.
Chastain, who is nominated for Best Actress for her titular role as Tammy Faye Bakker in the movie, was a guest on the “Next Best Picture” podcast this week. On the episode, she discussed the Academy’s plan to move eight award categories ― including Best Makeup and Hairstyling ― to an hour before the live show.
“I will absolutely be present when the makeup category is being called,” Chastain said. “And if that means I’m not doing press on the red carpet ... then so be it.”
“Tammy Faye” makeup artists Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh nabbed a nomination for their transformative work on Chastain, whose portrayal of Bakker spans three decades of the famed televangelist’s life.
“The most important thing for me is to honor the incredible artisans who work in our industry,” Chastain told “Next Best Picture” host Matt Neglia. “So much attention is on the actors, right? ... We’re like the face in some way, because you go to a movie and you see us. But a lot of people don’t understand how beyond an actor a performance is.”
The actor has also used the awards circuit to honor the real people whose stories are depicted in the film. Her guest for the Oscar nominees luncheon earlier this month was Steve Pieters, the AIDS activist whose groundbreaking real-life interview with Bakker in the 1980s was reenacted in the movie.