Jessica Chastain has been cut from “The Death and Life of John F. Donovan.” Xavier Dolan says that is “has nothing to do with” her performance. This being Xavier, the news was announced on Instagram.
Here's the synopsis of the film
A decade ago, the publisher of a gossip magazine, Moira, exposed the correspondences of an American TV star, John F. Donovan, with an 11-year-old British boy, Rupert Turner. A storm kills Donovan's life and career and culminates in his death. Ten years later, Turner reminiscences the written correspondence, as well as the impact those letters had on both their lives.
Chastain was playing Moira. How was she cut? Maybe she was just shown in flashbacks.
“What you need to hear from me is that Jessica Chastain’s character, after what was a long period of reflection, had to be cut from the film,” Dolan writes on Instagram. “It was an extremely difficult decision to make. I feel, toward Jessica, a very sincere love, and a great admiration. The decision was editorial and narrative, in that it has nothing to do with a performance, and everything to do with a character, and the compatibility of its storyline.”
Dolan goes on to explain that “this ‘villain’ subplot, albeit funny and entertaining, didn’t feel like it belonged to the rest of the story, which ended up not being on heroes or their nemesis, bur [sic] rather on childhood, and its dreams.”
“Jessica has, since the very beginning, defended this project, and defended me on so many occasions,” he continues. “She is a terrific actress, a politically engaged artist, what is more, who relentlessly champions the causes she believes in. She is respected by her peers, and beloved by her public.”
For me, Dolan will forever be known as the person that cockblocked "Carol" into winning the Palme D'or in 2015, even moreso than being the guy that directed "Mommy."