Jessica Chastain Just Enrolled at Harvard, and She's Not Studying Acting
Jessica graduated from the Juilliard School in 2003.
Published July 31 2025, 4:18 p.m. ET
Despite the millions they have made and the international fame they have amassed, many celebrities decide to further their education amongst all the glitz and the glamour.
Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain is one of them, as the actress recently shared that she headed to Harvard — but what exactly is she studying? Let’s dive in.
After beginning her acting career on stage, Jessica went on to have small parts in notable films such as The Tree of Life and Zero Dark Thirty.
However, it was her breakthrough Academy Award-nominated role in the 2011 hit The Help that ushered her into the mainstream and onto the Hollywood A-list.
What is Jessica Chastain studying at Harvard?
According to Variety, Jessica enrolled in Harvard University's Master's in Public Administration on Wednesday, July 30, to obtain her Master’s degree.
Per a source, Jessica is taking on the two-year program at The John F. Kennedy School of Government and was recently spotted in Cambridge, Massachusetts taking classes this summer.
Jessica already had an impressive educational background prior to becoming an actress, attending Sacramento City College and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before graduating from the Juilliard School in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama.
Additionally, in December 2024, she was the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Juilliard for her work in theatre and film.
What has Jessica said about her education and career?
While speaking at the 38th Annual American Cinematheque Awards in 2024, Jessica shared how her childhood led her to attend college and embrace the arts.
“Theater became my lifeline,” she said, per PEOPLE. “It was a way to feel seen, to use my voice and to break free from the expectations that had bound my family for generations. And I became determined to escape the cycle.”
“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,” Jessica recalled. “And attending the Juilliard School didn't just change my life. It showed my family that a different path was possible.”
The Eyes of Tammy Faye star also noted that she uses her career as a platform to highlight important stories with women at the focus.
“It's an honor to portray women who are capable, who are intelligent and independent,” Jessica told the audience. “I want kids to see. I want little girls and I want boys to see that her true value isn't in her beauty or her role as someone's partner, but in her intellect, her resilience, and her strength.”
“Stories matter because they shape culture. Stories inspire change and stories empower future generations,” she said.
Jessica will definitely be busy. She is set to star in the thriller series The Savant, which premieres in September 2025, and her romantic drama Dreams will be released the following month.