Jessica Chastainwho rose to fame with her breakthrough role in “The Help,” has built an impressive career in Hollywood, earning recognition for her powerful performances in films such as “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Interstellar” and “Molly’s Game.”

A graduate of Juilliard, Chastain’s rise to stardom is a testament to her determination and resilience, particularly as someone who defied the odds stacked against her. Coming from a working-class background, she was the first in her family to graduate from high school without facing teenage pregnancy, later earning a scholarship to one of the most prestigious performing arts schools in the world.

Today, Jessica Chastain talks about her journey to break generational cycles and redefine her family’s narrative.

During a heartfelt speech at the 38th Annual American Cinematheque Awards on Friday, December 6, the 47-year-old actress reflected on her personal experiences striving to exceed society’s expectations and find a new path for herself. new path. She explained how breaking free from her family’s history was instrumental in her journey to success, according to PEOPLE.

She also shared that her great-grandmother, grandmother, aunt and mother all faced similar challenges, having children before the age of 17 and being forced to “abandon the school and accept low-paid jobs to support their families.

Despite this family history, Chastain revealed that she is “determined” to create a different path for herself and shape a new future. “Theater became my lifeline”, she shared. “It was a way to feel seen, to use my voice, and to free myself from the expectations that had bound my family for generations. And I became determined to escape the cycle.

The actress then told the crowd that she “was the first in my family not to get pregnant as a teenager, the first to graduate high school, and the first to go to college and attend the Juilliard School not only changed my life. It showed my family that a different path was possible.

Chastain said that since then, she “has worked to dismantle the restrictive roles that society imposes on women” throughout her career and break “archetypes” in which women are valued solely for their “sexual desirability” or their “mother function”. Chastain highlighted her early successes in her career, noting that she achieved her goal of blazing a new path by starring in two major box office hits: “Mama” and “Zero Dark Thirty.”

“It’s an honor to represent capable, intelligent and independent women,” Chastain said at the event. “I want the kids to see. I want little girls and boys to see that her true value lies not in her beauty or being someone’s partner, but in her intellect, resilience and strength.

She then expressed how stories are important “because they shape culture,” “inspire change, and “empower future generations.”

In October, Chastain shared that her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She used the opportunity to raise awareness and encouraged others to prioritize their health by getting a mammogram.

“This week I flew to meet his incredible doctors and surgeons who are providing him with the best care possible,” the actress wrote on Instagram at the time. “I am beyond grateful to the incredible staff at the hospital.”

She added: “She’s a real bada, and I know she’ll get through this.”

Andrew Garfield shared how Chastain provided crucial support during one of the most difficult times of her life.

The “Tick, Tick…Boom!” » The star recently revealed that his “Eyes of Tammy Faye” co-star went out of his way to make sure he could visit his mother shortly before she died of breast cancer. pancreas in 2019.

“What was incredible was that [Searchlight Pictures’ David Greenbaum] and Jessica rearranged the schedule at the last minute – suspended filming [in North Carolina] for a few days to be able to return [to England] and I’ll be with my mom for 10 days,” Garfield said PEOPLE. “Because he had his own experience of a loss that he couldn’t recover from, he said, ‘Go. You have to go,'” Garfield recalled. “And I was like, ‘Well, I know I have to go, and thank you.'”