The actress, who won a Best Actress Award for the first time in her career, shared how inspired she was by the life of televangelist Tammy Bakker.
On Sunday night's Academy Awards, Jessica Chastain was honored with the Best Actress Award for the first time in her career for playing the leading role of televangelist Tammy Bakker in the Michael Showalter-directed film, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye." The biographical drama, which screenplay was written by Abe Sylvia was based on the 2000 documentary of the same name, follows the story of televangelist, author, and TV personality Tammy Faye Bakker of the "Praise the Lord" or PTL Club.
In Chastain's acceptance speech, the 45 year old actress said she was inspired by Bakker's radical love towards all people, including the LGBT community, the Christian Post reported. Chastain thanked director Michael Showalter and co-star Andrew Garfield, as well as the film's hair and makeup team that scored an Oscar for impressively transforming the actress into Bakker.
"The Eyes of Tammy Faye" follows Tammy Faye and her husband Jim Bakker, who is played by Garfield in the film, as they begin their story after they met at a Bible college. They began as children's ministry leaders to what the report described as "prosperity gospel-loving leaders of a multimillion-dollar TV network." Bakker was known for her heavy makeup and high-pitched voice, and with a colorful personality such as hers, she never fit in the Evangelical world. The film also showed Bakker opposing Jerry Falwell Sr. over the issue of homosexuality and interviewing a gay activist with AIDS, Steve Pieters, on the televangelist's show.
In Chastain's acceptance speech, she underscored some of the more fascinating characteristics of Bakker, who passed away from cancer in 2007. The actress spoke about how people are "coming out of some difficult times that have been filled with a lot of trauma and isolation" and underscored how "suicide is the leading cause of death in the United States," which has also impacted her personal life.
"We're faced with discriminatory and bigoted legislation that is sweeping our country with the only goal of further dividing us," Chastain remarked during her speech. "There's violence and hate crimes. ..In times like this, I think of Tammy and I'm inspired by her radical acts of love."
Chastain, who according to Reuters was previously nominated for an Academy Award for her 2012 portrayal of a CIA analyst hunting down Osama Bin Laden in "Zero Dark Thirty" and for her 2011 supporting role in the 1960s racial drama "The Help," added, "For any of you out there who do, in fact, feel hopeless or alone, I just want you to know that you are unconditionally loved for the uniqueness that is you."
The Bakkers' ministry met its downfall in 1988 when Jim Baker was accused of using ministry funds to silence a rape accuser and support his lavish lifestyle. He was indicted on eight counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy, spending eight years in prison. He was released in 1994 and the couple later divorced. Bakker remarried in 1992 and was later considered a "gay icon." The Bakkers' children Tammy Sue and Jamie Charles were involved in the creation of the film "The Eyes of Tammy Faye."
