SAG Awards nominee profile: Jessica Chastain (‘George and Tammy’) seeks second win for playing a real-life figure

Hot off her 2022 Best Film Actress SAG Award victory for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Jessica Chastain is now in the running for the organization’s Best TV Movie/Miniseries Actress prize as the star of Showtime’s “George and Tammy.” This would be her third SAG Award win in as many categories, as she achieved her first one as an ensemble member of the 2011 film “The Help.” It would also make her only the fourth person to ever pull off back-to-back solo SAG Award wins for two different performances.

The special consecutive champions club Chastain is looking to join was formed in 2000 by Angelina Jolie, who was honored that year for her supporting turn in the film “Girl, Interrupted” immediately after her TV movie performance in “Gia” was lauded by the acting guild. She has since been followed by Renée Zellweger (film actress: “Chicago,” 2003; film supporting actress: “Cold Mountain,” 2004) and Viola Davis (TV drama actress: “How to Get Away with Murder,” 2016; film supporting actress: “Fences,” 2017).

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Chastain would, of course, be the first member of the said group who does not have a supporting film win to her name. She was recognized in that category for “The Help” but lost to her costar, Octavia Spencer. Her SAG Awards resume also includes a prior lead film bid for “Zero Dark Thirty,” in which case she was beaten by Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”).

Chastain is one of two past SAG Award winners in the current miniseries actress lineup, with the other being “The English” star Emily Blunt (Best Film Supporting Actress, “A Quiet Place,” 2019). Her remaining three challengers are first-time SAG Award nominee Niecy Nash-Betts (“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”), past film ensemble contender (for 2012’s “Les Misérables”) Amanda Seyfried (“The Dropout”), and Julia Garner (“Inventing Anna”), who has also just received her third drama actress and cast bids for “Ozark.”

“George and Tammy,” which aired in six parts from December 2022 to January 2023, stars Chastain as country music legend Tammy Wynette, whose failed marriage to fellow singer George Jones (Michael Shannon) during the 1970s brought on a great deal of public scrutiny. If Chastain wins the favor of SAG Award voters this year, she will be the fifth woman to receive this particular award for playing a real-life performing artist. Those currently on that list are Halle Berry as Dorothy Dandridge (“Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” 2000), Judy Davis as Judy Garland (“Life with Judy Garland,” 2002), Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith (“Bessie,” 2016) and Michelle Williams as Gwen Verdon (“Fosse/Verdon,” 2020).

This article is a part of Gold Derby’s “SAG Awards nominee profile” series spotlighting the 2023 contenders in film and TV.

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