"I just like to be challenged": Jessica Chastain opens up about attending Harvard University

In a recent interview, Jessica Chastain opened up about her experience while attending Harvard University. The acclaimed actress is currently working on getting a master's degree in Public Administration at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. At the same time, Chastain is juggling both acting and studying.

During an exclusive interview with E! News at the Kering Foundation's 4th Annual Caring for Women Dinner in New York, Chastain shared how she feels about pursuing a master's degree. She said:

"I just like to be challenged and learn and exercise my brain in a new way... I was really surprised by the classes that I’m responding to."

Chastain also mentioned that she is studying statistics and attending negotiation classes. She also talked about how the class is helping her widen her horizons and look at life with a new perspective. She added:

"We had a class about resolving conflict... And right now, we're in a time where it feels like no one's talking to each other, there's so much division."

Jessica Chastain also shared what she learned from the class by saying:

"If you start from a place of agreement—no matter who you are—there can be one thing that each party agrees on... and give each other the benefit of the doubt that each side, each person, wants positivity for humanity... I think that's the only way we can get out of this mess we're in... And that was a really helpful class to take."

What inspired Jessica Chastain to become an actress?

During an interview with Variety, Jessica Chastain recalled what got her into acting. The Zero Dark Thirty actress shared that her grandmother took her to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat when she was only 7 years old.

She elaborated:

"My grandmother took me... It was the first time I realized it was a job that people could have, and after watching it, I was like, 'Oh, I’m an actor.'"

Chastain added:

"I felt it really young... Even though I dropped out of high school and went back and got my diploma later on, I was voted 'Most Talented' in our yearbook. So very early on, I was getting feedback that it was something I was good at, and that helped a lot... I thought I was going to be in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Repertory Company."

Jessica Chastain also expressed how grateful she is for being one of the first in her family to pursue higher education. During an interview at the 38th Annual American Cinematheque Award, she said:

"I was the first in my family to not get pregnant as a teenager, the first to finish high school, and the first to attend college... And attending Juilliard School didn't just change my life. It showed my family that a different path was possible."

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Jessica Chastain effortlessly balances her school life with her acting career. One of her most recent professional milestones includes getting her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier this month.

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