Jessica Chastain on how Tom Cruise is to thank for Zero Dark Thirty

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Tom Cruise has made a career out of being an overall mega human by hanging off the side of planes, running along the world’s tallest building, sliding across living room floors and teaching us how to love in JERRY MAGUIRE…and everything else. But according to Jessica Chastain the man is a real-life hero as well, and it's thanks to him that she was able to do one of her best movies – ZERO DARK THIRTY.

The actress spoke to the matter recently, saying she was “cold-called” by director Kathryn Bigelow after working with THIRTY producer Megan Ellison on LAWLESS, and how excited she was to even speak with the Oscar-winning director:

I got cold-called by [director] Kathryn Bigelow. I was in Toronto, and I had heard from [producer] Megan Ellison. We had done a film, [2012’s] Lawless, together. And she said, “By the way, do you know Kathryn Bigelow’s trying to get a hold of you? She wants to meet with you on something.” And I was like, “What? Please give her my number.”

She accepted the role before even reading the script, but there was one hiccup. She was originally signed on to do the Cruise-led sci-fi thriller, OBLIVION, and was faced with a contract issue. But that’s when Cruise came in to save the day like the hero he is:

I was signed to do another movie. I was contractually obligated to do something else that I was really wanting to do, and I was excited to do [the 2013 thriller Oblivion, starring Cruise]. But when this came my way, I realized I had to do this. And the person who made it possible for me to do this movie is Tom Cruise. Someone contacted him from my agency and said, “Listen, she wants to work with you. And she would love to, but there is this other film, and it’s so important.” And he said, “OK, we’re going to let you out of your contract."

Hence history was made, and Chastain went on to do the movie that not only made more money than OBLIVION, but received rave reviews and earned Chastain her second Oscar nomination. Chastain has been looking for a movie to do with Cruise ever since:

I really hope to find something in the future to do with him because I’m very grateful.  I’ve seen him afterwards. And I was like, “Dude, you’re awesome!”

Though I can see another person in her role (Amy Adams, maybe), I loooooved Chastain in THRITY, and now I love Cruise more for being such a cool dude about giving her the ability to go off an do it. Being a veteran of the game means he probably understood where she was coming from. All I know is that now the two have the opportunity to do something amazing together, and given Chastain’s big budget, ass-kicking experience (THE HUNTSMAN) it could be anything. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 anyone?

Catch Chastain in THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE out now.