From Tammy Faye to Tammy Wynette.
The last winner of the Oscar for Best Actress, Jessica Chastain returns with a new character also called Tammy, after the ‘Tammy Faye’ who awarded him the Academy statuette. Now the actress plays Tammy Wynette alongside Michael Shannon who plays her husband, George Jones in the musical biographical series made by Paramount.
Chastain plays ‘Stand By Your Man’ singer Tammy Wynette, and the two-time Oscar nominee is her husband George Jones. The ‘George & Tammy’ series premieres on Paramount later this year.
“It was fascinating to me that someone like Tammy Wynette, who sang all these songs like ‘Stand by Your Man,’ was also married five times,” Chastain told Vanity Fair. “I was excited about this woman who was married and divorced several times and wrestled in Nashville and really made a name for herself. She charted several times before she met George Jones.”
Wynette and Jones married in 1969, each marking their respective third marriages. The duo later divorced, but remained friends until Wynette’s death in 1998 at age 55.
“I think the bottom line is that they were both tough people. They overcame some pretty insurmountable situations to get into the spotlight,” Shannon acknowledges.
‘George & Tammy’ is the brainchild of Abe Sylvia and directed by John Hillcoat. Steve Zahn, Kelly McCormack, Katy Mixon and Walton Goggins are also among the cast of this six-episode series.
Chastain is producing the series and has enlisted his friend and former co-star in the movie ‘Take Shelter’, Shannon, to star in this biopic for the small screen. Shannon was a good fit for the role of Jones as he fronts the rock band Corporal and brought his musical background to the role. “George Jones is, in my opinion, one of the best singers I’ve ever heard,” the actor said. “Obviously it’s silly to try to imitate that completely, that’s one of the reasons he’s legendary, is there will never be another like him.”
Shannon also acknowledged that I’m not a big fan of country music, “I’m more of a jazz guy really but when (Jessica) caught my eye, I was quite seduced. It’s a tragic story, but also very romantic.”
Chastain also worked with a Nashville vocal coach to sing as Wynette. In addition to this, the actress has been on a strict diet in order to emulate Wynette’s body, in the midst of her addiction to painkillers. The actress herself shared some photos of her on her social networks:
‘George & Tammy’ does not currently have a release date in Spain. Below you have the images of the series in which both stars are characterized as their characters.
Source: Fotogramas
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
