Jessica Chastain wins Oscar for Best Actress

Jessica Chastain has won her first Oscar for her role as Tammy Faye Baker in the incredibly eye-opening film The Eyes of Tammy Faye. In her emotional acceptance speech, Chastain called out the need for more love — to share love so that we all may be able to live without fear and hopelessness.

An audience of her peers applauded her speech with tears in their eyes, as the call for acceptance felt more relevant than ever before.

Highlighting the best of the best in film during a year when we all depended on entertainment even more than usual is extremely important. Movies help us relate to one another, grow, and even escape when we need it the most. A key component to that storytelling is casting, and the nominees for Best Actress this year were as fierce as they are talented.

Those nominees included Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Olivia Colman for The Lost Daughter, Penélope Cruz for Parallel Mothers, Nicole Kidman for Being the Ricardos, and Kristen Stewart in Spencer. 

Film fans expected that fierce battle to come down to Nicole Kidman, who won the Golden Globe for her portrayal of Lucille Ball, and Jessica Chastain, who won Best Actress at the Critics Choice Awards.

The talent from each actress was next level, as they told stories of truth, brought us to tears, and made us laugh with their portrayal of these impactful characters and real-life legends.

Here were the incredible nominees.

Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Olivia Colman for The Lost Daughter

Penélope Cruz for Parallel Mothers

Nicole Kidman for Being the Ricardos

Kristen Stewart in Spencer

Congratulations Jessica Chastain.