Jessica Chastain: Not My Girlfriend

She responded to one of my comments on her Facebook fan page.  Technically, that's a relationship.

Of course two months later she posted a message telling all of her fans that she would no longer be able to answer most individual comments because she'd gotten way too busy.  Breaking up is hard to do. . .

This isn't a post.  This is a brief plug for my ultimate celebrity crush, Ms. Chastain, who's currently up for a Best Actress Oscar for her role in "Zero Dark Thirty".

She burst into view in 2011, when she co-starred in two of my favorite films of the year, "Take Shelter" and "The Tree of Life".  In those films she was playing variations on the same role - the supportive wife/mother who holds the family together.  Ah, so she was going to be typecast, then.  I should look for her in similar roles in the future.  Wait a minute. . . that was her in "The Help"?

Yup.  She was even nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of the free-wheeling Celia Foote, though she didn't win.  The woman's got talent, there's no denying that.  But don't let that fool you, for I am a man and it was more than just her acting prowess that drew me in - at that time she was "the slender flame-haired beauty with the adorable cleft chin who could also act".  So I looked up her first starring role in the movie "Jolene" mostly, I admit, because of the ample amount of nudity it offered, only to be taken by surprise once again.  The movie affected me on a personal level - see, I've loved a couple of Jolene-types in my day.  I totally know that girl.  If I were to compare myself to any of her lovers in that movie I'd say I was closest to being a real-life Mickey. . . though I've never jumped off of a bridge.

Since then, she's popped up movie after movie after movie.  There she is again in "Coriolanus" - and again, in "Lawless" - now she's a gynecologist-stabbing Israeli spy in 'The Debt" - now she's an animated circus jaguar in "Madagascar 3" - now she's hunting down Osama Bin Laden in "Zero Dark Thirty" - now she's a punk rocker tangling with a possessive ghost in "Mama" - jeez, slow down and take a breather, lady!

But do you know what really made me a wobbly-kneed fan?  A story she told about coming face-to-face with Kurt Russell at an awards event.  Apparently she geeked out because, when she was a little girl, her favorite comedy of all time was "Big Trouble in Little China".  So not only is she a gorgeous vegan hippie with a cute three-legged dog and loads of talent, she's also a full-on film fanatic with honest-to-goodness Geek Cred.  I have mad respect for this woman.

I will be watching the Oscars on Sunday, February 24th.  It will be the first time in about 10 years that I've watched the ceremony.  Now I have a good reason - someone to root for.  Good luck, Jessica!

Update:  Crap.  Jennifer Lawrence won.  Oh well.  A woman with her level of talent will undoubtedly sweep up many more awards in the future.  She can sweep me up any day.  ;^)