Actor Jessica Chastain has risen to fame in Hollywood and is now considered one of the industry’s most influential talents.

However, her journey to success was not easy. From 2003 to 2007, Chastain struggled to land even an audition.

In a 2013 interview with The Telegraph, she revealed that one of her lowest points was trying to audition for a guest spot on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and finding the experience “humiliating.”

Despite receiving positive feedback from directors, Chastain’s unique appearance often worked against her.

She recalled in an interview with The Telegraph, “A lot of the time the feedback would be ‘the director really liked Jessica but he’s decided to cast a model’. That was the worst: I didn’t know I was auditioning for model parts – I thought I was an actress.”

Chastain’s red hair was also a hindrance, with some suggesting she dye it blonde to improve her chances of getting hired.

However, Chastain ultimately decided against changing her hair, instead opting for wigs if she needed to alter her appearance for a role.

She explained in an interview with Refinery 49, “As a child, I didn’t want to be different – I wanted to look the same as everyone else because I didn’t want to be singled out.”

“I was ridiculed for having red hair; for having freckles. But whatever you are ridiculed about that makes you different is what you’ll celebrate in the future.”

“If I wanted to dye my hair, I could, but I realized that’s who I am, and my differences [make me] special.”

Chastain also prefers wigs over dye jobs because of the demands of her busy career. She said in an interview, “The one way to change my physicality is through wigs.”

“Wigs are amazing because they can not only change your hair color, they can also change your hairline and the texture.

“When I sit in a makeup chair and the hairstylist puts a wig on me, I feel the character collecting. It’s not for vanity’s sake that I use wigs; I see it as a tool to help transform.”

Despite these setbacks, Chastain was eventually able to break through in Hollywood and has become a successful and respected actor.

She has even found that changing her hair can have a dramatic impact on her appearance and the characters she plays.

In an interview, she said, “You know what really changes me a lot? Dark hair. I went darker for Molly’s Game, Mama, and Crimson Peak.”

“Those have been the most transformational. Things I never notice about myself, like how light my eyes are, all of a sudden show up.

“When any kind of transformation happens in terms of a character, your face starts to morph into that character.”