Jessica Chastain has thanked Tom Cruise for changing the course of her career.
Jessica Chastain
The flame-haired actress has revealed she owes her role in 'Zero Dark Thirty' to Tom, who used his considerable influence to help Jessica star in the hit movie about the real-life search for Osama bin Laden, rather than his own film 'Oblivion'.
She explained: "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, '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'.
"I was signed to do another movie (at the time). I was contractually obligated to do something else that I was really wanting to do, and I was excited to do. But when this came my way, I realised I had to do this."
Tom, 54, heard about Jessica's predicament and decided to step in to help the actress.
Jessica - who received an Oscar nomination for her starring role in 'Zero Dark Thirty' - told The Hollywood Reporter: "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'."
The 40-year-old actress hasn't worked with Tom since, but revealed she would relish the opportunity to do so.
Jessica said: "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!'"
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