She is one of the favourites to walk away with the Best Actress Oscar later this month, and has been lauded as one of Hollywood’s hottest rising stars.
As a result, Jessica Chastain’s private life has come more intensely under the microscope. Now, a new report in Star Magazine through Radar alleges that the 35-year-old actress ‘refuses to acknowledge her biological father Michael Monasterio’ and ‘wants nothing to do with him.’
Tragically, Star reports that Monasterio, a musician who lived in Sacremento, California, passed away on February 5 aged 55 due to complications from bronchitis.
Jessica is said to have ‘publicly thanked her mother Jerri Chastain and father Michael Hastey earlier this year’, but the magazine report says Hastey is not her real father.
A close friend of the late musician told Star: ‘Michael adored Jessica, but it broke his heart that she never mentioned his existence, for whatever reason.’
The magazine’s report corroborates comments made by Monasterio on his own Facebook page which says that vegan chef Jerri ‘took off’ with daughters Jessica and Juliet and then ‘changed her name so he couldn’t find them for years.’
Jessica is widely reported to have been born ‘Jessica Howard’ before taking her mother’s maiden name as her acting career took off.
Jerri and Michael had been high school sweethearts and broke up shortly after Jessica and Juliet were born in 1977 and 1978 respectively.
Indeed Jessica once referred to Hastey in a magazine interview: ‘My dad’s a fireman. I’m not happy about that. I’m proud but it scares me.’
Monasterio was clearly proud of Jessica’s acting career, posting up comments on his public Facebook page back in 2010, before the star found worldwide fame.
Monasterio’s death came suddenly and he ‘didn’t have a lot of money’ when he died, according to the family friend.
Nicole – Jessica’s half sister – is having to arrange his memorial service and has posted a page on the Internet asking for donations.