SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento's own Jessica Chastain is officially an Oscar winner.
The Sacramento native was nominated for her leading role in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye."
The lead up to the Oscar win was a difficult one to track. For a time Olivia Colman was the favorite for her role in "The Lost Daughter." Kristen Stewart was also a name people considered until she was snubbed at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.
However, Chastain became the frontrunner after winning the SAG Award.
Chastain is no stranger to the Oscars, having been nominated twice before. She was nominated for the supporting actress category for her role in "The Help" and for her leading role in "Zero Dark Thirty." Her lead actress win is her first.
She thanked the academy along with her fellow nominees and makeup team after the win. She said that, even as the world faces difficult times, she's inspired by Tammy Faye.
“In times like this, I think of Tammy, and I’m inspired by her radical acts of love...," Chastain said. "I’m inspired by her compassion. I see it as a guiding principle that leads us forward and it 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.”
Her roots for Sacramento run deep, having fond memories of Old Sacramento, the River City Brewing Company and the Sacramento Theatre Company.
Chastain wasn't the only win for "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" either. Her turn as the TV evangelist also included a physical transformation with lots of help from hair and makeup. That team earned an Oscar win of their own Sunday for Makeup and Hairstyling.
Chastain arrived early to the show to be sure she didn't miss presentations for the Oscars' less-celebrated awards.
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