Jessica Chastain Reveals Role That Made Her Cry at Home (Exclusive)

Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard are getting rave reviews for their new film “Memory”!

“Extra’s” Terri Seymour spoke with Jessica and Peter about the movie, which is about woman taking care of a man with early-onset dementia.

The role is the polar opposite of playing the late televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in “Tammy,” which won Jessica an Oscar in 2022. Jessica said, “I was constantly trying to take the energy of what Tammy would be in and this, Sylvia, is so solitary. She’s just loaded with secrets that she doesn’t really share with anyone, and she’s so closed off.”

When asked how she leaves such heavy material behind at the end of the day, Jessica revealed she would cry at home while filming “Scenes from a Marriage.”

She explained, “‘Scenes from a Marriage,’ I’ll tell you, going home every day was not an easy thing. I could be in the middle of having breakfast and I’d start crying in my kitchen. With Sylvia, she’s figured out a way to make life work.”

Peter wanted to “flip that narrative” on those living with dementia. He commented, “If you could put it out into the world, that there’s more life left after you’re diagnosed, then that would be good.”

Peter “wasn’t at all interested” in playing his character as “dour,” saying, “I really wanted to play someone that was greedy for life.”

While reading the script for the movie, Peter thought of his uncle, who lived with dementia.