Oscars 2022: Jessica Chastain Delivers Heartfelt Message on Suicide Awareness After Sister's Death

Jessica Chastain won her first Oscar for The Eyes of Tammy Faye, using her speech to raise awareness for suicide, especially within the LGBTQ+ community.

By Lindsay Weinberg Mar 28, 2022 4:16 AMTags

Jessica Chastain is using her moment in the spotlight for good.

While accepting the Best Actress trophy at the 2022 Oscars on March 27, The Eyes of Tammy Faye star shined a light on suicide awareness and the importance of spreading hope. 

Jessica was up against fellow powerhouses Kristen Stewart (Spencer), Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter), Penelope Cruz (Parallel Mothers) and Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos) for the Best Actress in a Leading Role trophy this year.

After taking the stage, Jessica reflected on the "difficult times" people are living in, "filled with a lot of trauma and isolation, and so many people out there feel hopelessness and they feel alone." 

She then spoke about the importance suicide awareness, saying, "It's touched many families, it's touched mine, especially members of the LGBTQ community, who often feel out of place with their peers. We're faced with discriminatory and bigoted legislation sweeping our country with the only goal of further dividing us. There is violence and hate crimes being perpetuated on innocent civilians all over the world."

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Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Jessica continued by saying she's inspired by "radical acts of love," similar to Tammy Faye's.

The 45-year-old actress believes compassion "connects us all in the desire that we want to be accepted for who we are, for who we love, and to live a life without the fear or violence or terror." She added, "For any of you out there who do in fact feel hopeless or alone, I just want you to know that you're unconditionally loved for the uniqueness that is you."

Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Jessica has previously opened up about her sister, Juliet Chastain, who died by suicide in 2003 at age 24. 

"And she had a lot of attempted suicides, but you never really think this is going to happen, even though, in your mind, you know it can happen," she told Modern Luxury Manhattan in 2016, per People. "And when you get the call, it's … shocking."

The 2022 Oscars ceremony—hosted by comedians Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall—also featured several A-list presenters ranging from Zoë Kravitz to Lady Gaga.

As for Jessica, she was previously nominated for an Oscar for Zero Dark Thirty in 2013 and The Help in 2012. A decade later, she has her hands on her first trophy.

See all the 2022 Oscar winners below.

Best Picture

Belfast

WINNER: Coda

Don't Look Up

Drive My Car

Dune

Licorice Pizza

King Richard

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

Directing

Kenneth Branagh, Belfast

Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car

Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza

WINNER: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog

Steven Spielberg, West Side Story

Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog

Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick...Boom!

WINNER: Will Smith, King Richard

Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Actor in a Supporting Role

Ciaran Hinds, Belfast

WINNER: Troy Kotsur, Coda

Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog

J.K. Simmons, Being the Ricardos

Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Actress in a Leading Role

WINNER: Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter

Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers

Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos

Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Actress in a Supporting Role

Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter

WINNER: Ariana DeBose, West Side Story

Judi Dench, Belfast

Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog

Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Animated Feature Film

WINNER: Encanto

Flee

Luca

The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Raya and the Last Dragon

Cinematography

WINNER: Greig Fraser, Dune

Dan Laustsen, Nightmare Alley

Ari Wegner, The Power of the Dog

Bruno Delbonnel, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Janusz Kaminski, West Side Story

Costume Design

WINNER: Jenny Beavan, Cruella

Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran, Cyrano

Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan, Dune

Luis Sequeira, Nightmare Alley

Paul Tazewell, West Side Story

Documentary Feature

Ascension

Attica

Flee

WINNER: Summer of Soul (...Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Writing With Fire

Documentary Short Subject

Audible

Lead Me Home

WINNER: The Queen of Basketball

Three Songs for Benazir

When We Were Bullies

Editing

Don't Look Up

WINNER: Dune

King Richard

The Power of the Dog

Tick, Tick...Boom!

International Feature Film

WINNER: Drive My Car

Flee

The Hand of God

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom

The Worst Person in the World

Makeup and Hairstyling

Coming 2 America

Cruella

Dune

WINNER: The Eyes of Tammy Faye

House of Gucci

Original Song

"Be Alive," King Richard

"Dos Oruguitas," Encanto

"Down to Joy," Belfast

WINNER: "No Time to Die," No Time to Die

"Somehow You Do," Four Good Days

Original Score

Nicholas Britell, Don't Look Up

WINNER: Hans Zimmer, Dune

Germaine Franco, Encanto

Alberto Iglesias, Parallel Mothers

Jonny Greenwood, The Power of the Dog

Production Design

WINNER: Dune

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

The Tragedy of Macbeth

West Side Story

Animated Short Film

Affairs of the Art

Bestia

Boxballet

Robin Robin

WINNER: The Windshield Wiper

Live Action Short Film

Ala Kachuu-Take and Run

The Dress

WINNER: The Long Goodbye

On My Mind

Please Hold

Sound

Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather, Niv Adiri, Belfast 

WINNER: Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hempbill, Ron Bartlett, Dune

Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey, Mark Taylor, No Time to Die

Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie, Tara Webb, The Power of the Dog

Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson, Shawn Murphy, West Side Story

Visual Effects

WINNER: Dune

Free Guy

No Time to Die

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Adapted Screenplay

WINNER: Coda

Drive My Car

Dune

The Lost Daughter

The Power of the Dog

Original Screenplay

WINNER: Belfast

Don't Look Up

King Richard 

Licorice Pizza

The Worst Person in the World

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