Jessica Chastain accepts best actress Academy Award
The actress won the best actress award for her performance in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
This is her third Oscar nomination and first win.
During her acceptance speech, she delivered a powerful message about suicide awareness and discriminatory legislation. “Right now we are coming out of some difficult times that have been filled with a lot of trauma and isolation,” she began. “And so many people out there feel hopelessness and they feel alone. And suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States.”
She then went on to say suicide has touched many families, including her own, and many within the LGBTQ+ community.
“We’re faced with discriminatory and bigoted legislation that is sweeping our country with the only goal of further dividing us,” she said. “There’s violence and hate crimes being perpetuated on innocent civilians all over the world. And in times like this, I think of Tammy and I’m inspired by her radical acts of love.”
She then said that she sees Tammy’s compassion as a “guiding principle that leads us forward” and “connects us all in the desire that we want to be accepted for who we are, accepted for who we love, and to live a life without the fear of violence or terror.”
She concluded her speech with a plea to those who feel “hopeless or alone.”
“I just want you to know you are unconditionally loved for the uniqueness that is you,” she said.
