It's official: Jessica Chastain - and the rest of The 355 cast - are feminist heroes. During a sit-down with Women's Health, Diane Kruger revealed how Jessica ensured all women got paid the same and created a female-friendly environment.
Kruger and Chastain star alongside Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong'o, and Fan Bingbing in the upcoming action film The 355. The women will hit our screens as CIA agents and international spies teaming up to recover a super-secret weapon. The movie name's inspiration? Agent 355: a female spy for the Patriots during the American Revolution. Don't mind us just fangirling over a film title.
And The 355's feminist energy goes beyond the big screen - the set was filled with equality and fair work. "It felt great to work with girls, and there was no weirdness on set. Jessica made sure all of the actresses were paid the same; we all own a piece of the movie," Diane revealed. "Regardless of how the film does, it was one of the most complete experiences."
Kruger continued, "One thing that was wonderful about this film was that many of us were mothers. We were allowed to bring our children to set and had a trailer for the kids. That was a lovely thing, where you can sense that the producer is a woman with a child." It's no secret that Chastain - who is an executive producer for the motion picture - has long been a champion of women's equality in Hollywood.
Back in 2018, Octavia Spencer revealed how Jessica helped her up her salary for a project in which they co-starred. "I love that woman because she's walking the walk, and she's actually talking the talk," the actress gushed about Chastain. "She said, 'Octavia, we're gonna get you paid on this film. You and I are gonna be tied together. We're gonna be favored nations, and we're gonna make the same thing.' Fast forward to last week, we're making five times what we asked for."
The Molly's Game star previously discussed how important it is to use her fame for social justice. "We're working to develop projects for women about women and hire more female writers and directors, and also minorities who haven't had the opportunity to tell their stories," Jessica said in 2017. "It is very important for me to take all the gifts that I've been given - because I've been given a lot of attention very fast - and spread the wealth a little bit."
That's the kind of hump day motivation we needed. The 355 will hit theaters on January 7, 2022.
