Jessica Chastain acted off Broadway.
Jessica Chastain . Chastain made her film debut in the drama Jolene ( 2008 ) , and gained wide recognition in 2011 for starring roles in half a dozen films , including the dramas Take Shelter and The Tree of Life . Jolene is a 2008 American drama film directed by Dan Ireland . Take Shelter is a 2011 American psychological thriller drama film written and directed by Jeff Nichols and starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain . The Tree of Life is a 2011 American experimental epic drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick and starring Brad Pitt , Sean Penn , and Jessica Chastain .