The Eyes of Tammy Faye has its first trailer.
The first look at the movie caused a stir when it debuted, showcasing an unrecognizable Jessica Chastain in the role of infamous televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. The trailer also includes Andrew Garfield in his role as Tammy's first husband Jim.
The trailer gives us a glimpse of the couples' rise to fame, including Tammy's famous penchant for singing, as well as their downfall – the couple face fraud accusations in the footage: Jim was eventually imprisoned for fraud and conspiracy, and was accused of rape by church secretary Jessica Hahn. The trailer also includes Tammy's support for the LGBTQ+ community, including her interview with AIDS patient and gay minister Steve Pieters, which puts her at odds with Jerry Falwell (Vincent D'Onofrio), a powerful person in the televangelist community.
"In a time when people were even afraid to say AIDS, we had this female televangelist," Chastain told People. "And she was a minister too in her own right. She wasn't just the preacher's wife, the singer. The interview is phenomenal. It's so beautiful and loving. And it's such a huge turning point in terms of what people could associate God's grace with, because I feel like she was filled with grace."
As for her physical transformation, Chastain said: "Every moment, I had something on my face." Makeup artists Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, and Justin Raleigh helped bring Tammy to life. "I have a dimple in my chin that she didn't have, so we would seal that up," Chastain added. "Her face was more round than mine, so I would have things on my cheeks. Their expertise just helped me so much with my confidence in playing her."
Chastain is also a producer on the movie, and undertook almost 10 years of research for the role. Michael Showalter directs, with a script from Abe Sylvia. Along with Chastain and Garfield, the movie stars D'Onofrio, Cherry Jones, and Sam Jaeger.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye will release in the US this September 17. Until then, check out our roundup of all of 2021's upcoming movie release dates to start planning those theater trips.
