Jessica Chastain wins best actress Oscar for ‘Tammy Faye’

By BETH HARRIS
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Oscars looked kindly on Jessica Chastain. She won the Academy Award for best actress on Sunday night for playing televangelist Tammy Faye Baker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” It’s the first Oscar for Chastain in three nominations. She was previously nominated for “Zero Dark Thirty” in 2013 and “The Help” in 2012. Chastain emerged as the Oscar favorite late in the season, earning an upset victory at the SAG Awards before adding a Critics’ Choice trophy for a movie that was released six months ago. She beat out fellow best actress nominees Olivia Colman, Penélope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Kristen Stewart.