On Wednesday in Washington D.C., Jessica Chastain appeared at the Holocaust Memorial Museum for a special advance screening of her new movie The Zookeeper’s Wife when she commented that the Trump administration could learn a thing or two about compassion when it came to refugees.
The movie is based on the true husband-and-wife story of Antonina and Dr. Jan Zabinski who, during World War II, hid 300 Polish Jews at the Warsaw Zoo. She told the audience:
I think the more depictions we have, the more recognition of people who have used compassion to push up against hate — the stronger it makes society…I think nothing would benefit this administration more than seeing a film like this…I’m very excited to share Antonina's message with the world. She was a refugee, fled violence in Russia, found her safe place in Warsaw and then created a sanctuary for others fleeing violence, and it’s a good inspiration for how we should live our lives.
Chastain, who attended the Women’s March on January 21, said her movie also served as a powerful message on the importance of women “showcas[ing] an incredible woman in our history that had been forgotten.”
Referring to to Antonina Zabinski, Chastain said, “she was an ordinary woman who did whatever she could to help others and she believed all living things are created equal, all species.” She added of Antonina Zabinski: “She lived alongside animals, and that’s really close to my heart.”
Chastain also opined: “Heroes aren’t just the ones that fight and use aggression. Heroes can also use compassion and fight clean.”
Speaking to Katie Couric last month about the Women’s March, Chastain observed an increase of pride in feminism since Trump took office: “Sometimes you need an adversary to wake yourself up…Now I’ve noticed...people realizing if one group is being discriminated against, all groups are. And I think that is from having an adversary.”
