Jessica Chastain Edited Out of 'The Life and Death of John F. Donovan'
American actress Jessica Chastain was recently cut out of the film "The Death and Life of John F. Donovan" during the final moments of the movie's editing stages. This is usually a good sign in filmmaking, more so for actors, but director Xavier Dolan posted an explanation as to why Chastain's character had to be removed from the movie.
In Dolan's lengthy message on Instagram, he explained that after a long time of pondering on the matter, he finally decided to remove Chastain's character, which he admits was an "extremely difficult decision to make." The Canadian actor and director seemed aware of how the public may perceive his decision, and stated that he greatly admires Chastain's acting chops, and that his decision did not have anything to do with her acting.
As post-production went further along, Dolan deemed that Chastain's character simply did not fit his vision for the grand scheme of the film, due to the lack of "compatibility" with the storyline. According to reports, Chastain backed Dolan's post on Instagram by addressing her concerned fans, and telling them not to worry about Dolan's decision to edit her character out of the film. More importantly, Chastain stated that she was informed ahead of time by the 28-year-old director respectfully and professionally.
"The Life and Death of John F. Donovan" is about a prominent American television personality portrayed by Kit Harrington — who is most popularly known for his role as Jon Snow in the HBO television series "Game of Thrones." Harrington's character engages in a romantic relationship through love letters with an aspiring actor from England, played by Jacob Tremblay. The tension in the film begins when John F. Donovan's homosexual relationship is publicly exposed. The film also stars Natalie Portman.
A release date for the film has yet to be announced, as it is still in the process of being wrapped up in post-production.