In a January 2023 interview with Variety, Abe Sylvia revealed that Jessica Chastain first attached herself to “George & Tammy” 11 years ago. Ironically, Chastain won her first Academy Award in 2022 for her performance in the Sylvia-penned “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” which she also produced. Turns out the pair first met when discussing “George & Tammy” many years prior.
As it was, the screenwriter apparently first reached out to Chastain about the role before he even finished a script, claiming, “My producers and I approached her about playing Tammy Wynette even before there was a script in 2011. I had just seen [Terrence Malick’s] ‘The Tree of Life’ and I thought she would be a wonderful Tammy.” In another ironic twist, “The Tree of Life” happened to be released the very same year Chastain appeared in “Take Shelter” with Michael Shannon, so make of that what you will.
Sylvia went on to praise Chastain for staying attached to “George & Tammy” through countless changes, adding that she was so high on his original script for the project, it led her to hire him for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” As Sylvia noted, “Here we are 11 years later, and both projects are in the can.” With a “Tammy Faye” Oscar already in hand, it’s not at all far-fetched to think Sylvia might also help Chastain win an Emmy for her turn as Tammy Wynette.
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