With award season come and gone, one thing was clear throughout the ceremonies: Jessica Chastain was not going to expose herself to COVID if she could help it. And we loved her for it. While there was a COVID scare earlier in the season when Jamie Lee Curtis, Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Michelle Pfeiffer all tested positive for COVID after the Golden Globes, you know who hasn’t this season? Chastain.
In each show, you can see her in the audience wearing her mask. She takes it off briefly if she’s asked a question on camera or she is presenting but she is severely lessening her risk of contracting COVID-19 by sitting and making sure she’s wearing her mask when she’s not the center of attention. Which used to be the case in a lot of rooms. But since everyone else has just decided that COVID is over, those of us who are still cautious have to take our own protection on ourselves.
Chastain, who is currently on Broadway in A Doll’s House, has been traveling back and forth to go to the shows before heading back to her role as Nora on Broadway. The show, which is a limited run with a closing date of June 10th, hinges on Chastain being well enough to do the show. So not only is COVID still a very real thing but she also doesn’t have the luxury of just getting sick and taking time off.
So seeing Chastain taking it seriously, wearing her mask while at the award shows, and making sure she’s doing her part to keep her cast safe is honestly one of the reasons why she’s so great. And Twitter seems to love it too!
She’s limiting her risk by doing it!
Yes, she’s taking off her mask for pictures or when she’s on stage and being spoken to but the point now is that we’re limiting our chances of getting it by wearing masks when we can. For Chastain, she’s not getting COVID sitting in the theatre for nothing because she’s wearing her mask while watching the ceremony. It is, honestly, why I still wear mine at the movies. Why do I need to get COVID seeing a movie when I can enjoy it and my popcorn with my mask on?
But it just shows how many people have decided to just move on with their lives versus those who are still trying to stay healthy and safe. I wear mine on public transportation, in theaters, and whenever I’m in overly crowded places that don’t require testing. Because why put yourself and others at risk when a mask is just a simple way of staying healthy?
Chastain should not be the exception but the example. She was, as far as I could tell, the only one masking, and it makes sense why she is! She has an entire Broadway show depending on her and going to the Oscars is a privilege and a risk. Limiting her exposure is just the right thing to do. Kudos to Jessica Chastain.
(Featured image: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
