Aside from being known for her Academy Award-nominated acting chops and A-list style, Jessica Chastain is synonymous with her red hair. While the Zookeeper’s Wife star changes up her length quite often, she seldom changes her color.
Turns out, there’s a reason why. Chastain, 40, revealed to Refinery29 that she keeps her hair red because it’s what makes her special. “As a child, I didn’t want to be different — I wanted to look the same as everyone else because I didn’t want to be singled out. I was ridiculed for having red hair; for having freckles. But whatever you are ridiculed about that makes you different is what you’ll celebrate in the future,” said the actress.
The Tree of Life star also added that the use of wigs instead of dyeing her hair, helps her get into character for her roles because they change your physicality by changing your hair texture and hairline. “When I sit in a makeup chair and the hairstylist puts a wig on me, I feel the character collecting. It’s not for vanity’s sake that I use wigs; I see it as a tool to help transform,” explained Chastain.
Wigs aren’t the only way the Miss Sloane star channels her characters, she also uses fragrance to help her prepare. “For Crimson Peak, my character was the villain. This was also from over 100 years ago. I wanted a perfume that smelled like something that they’d have back then, so I found a peppery perfume, which to me was an embodiment of the energy of the character, but also fitting to the timing,” said Chastain.
Fragrance has always been a beauty element of importance for the Woman by Ralph Lauren spokesmodel. At the launch for the scent, Chastain told Us that her love of fragrance stems from her love of her grandmother, who she explains is the most glamorous woman she has ever known. “I remember growing up and loving the way she smelled,” said the actress.
