Jessica Chastain Exudes Positivity in an Exclusive Clip from 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye'

The actress captures '90s televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker's unrepentant optimism even in the face of looming trouble.

Since the first images were released of Jessica Chastain as the singer and televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in the new biopic The Eyes of Tammy Faye, out in theaters September 17, there was speculation as to how the Oscar-nominated actress was going to pull off playing the one-time tabloid icon. Just how would Chastain embody Tammy Faye? Would she rely on makeup and prosthetics? Or would there be something deeper at work? 

In this exclusive clip, you can get a glance at how the performer, best known for her work in films like Zero Dark Thirty and Molly's Game, is tackling the woman who was as famous for her outlandish looks as she was for her beliefs. Chastain's Tammy Faye chirps naively as her mother, played by Cherry Jones, tries to get her to take financial allegations against her and Jim Bakker's church seriously. The scene takes place as Tammy Faye and Jim's PTL Ministries and their eponymous television network is on the rise. Tammy Faye is relishing her TV career, and playing no heed to the trouble brewing. 

Chastain plays Tammy Faye's optimism as her gift and her curse: It allows her to be both a conduit of empathy, but also keeps her trapped in a bubble of her own making. You can see the full performance when The Eyes of Tammy Faye hits theaters this Friday. 

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Esther Zuckerman is a senior entertainment writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @ezwrites.