Jessica Chastain
Performance: Maya in Zero Dark Thirty (Oscar nomination, Best Actress)
“Because we’re playing characters that really exist, it was important to show the utmost respect when portraying them,” says Chastain, who has never met the real-life inspiration for Maya, the CIA tracker who hunts bin Laden.
The Performers Speak:
See a Compilation of Highlights from the 2013 Great Performers
More Portraits of the 2013 Great Performers by Paola Kudacki
