We interview Jessica Chastain & Niki Caro for The Zookeeper’s Wife

By Eric Walkuski

Posted 9 years ago

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

I've interviewed Jessica Chastain five times now, and she just keeps getting lovelier. On this occasion we talked about her stunning new film THE ZOOKEERPER'S WIFE, based on the international bestseller by Diane Ackerman. In the film, Chastain plays Antonina Zabinski, one half of a married pair of zookeepers who kept safe hundreds of Jews during the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939. Chastain's portrayal of Antonina is incredibly poignant and moving, never less than fully lived-in.

In the interview below, I talk to Chastain and director Niki Caro about adapting the complex book, how the film's themes resonate today, working with the many animals that were on set and more!

About the Author

Eric Walkuski

Film Critic

10,340 Articles Published

Favorite Movies: Jaws, Star Wars Trilogy, Aliens, Citizen Kane, The Third Man, Dawn read more of the Dead ('78), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ('74), Fargo, Miller's Crossing, Reservoir Dogs, The Manchurian Candidate ('62), Taxi Driver, Back to the Future, Stand by Me, Shaun of the Dead, Boogie Nights, La Dolce Vita, 12 Angry Men, The Birds, Touch of Evil

Likes: Film, Beer (who the hell DOESN'T around here?!), writing, NY Mets, read more The Jets, Girls who love film AND beer (at the same time), Jazz, Deadwood, The Wire, The Office, The Twilight Zone, Cormac McCarthy, Graham Greene, Stephen King, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Scorsese, Spielberg, Halloween season, Marvel movies, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Ash vs Evil Dead, Game of Thrones, Edgar Allen Poe, Mother Nature

The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.

What’s Not Allowed

Abusive language, insults, or harassment toward other users or staff.
Hate speech of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Bickering, bullying, personal attacks, or baiting others to argue
Extended off-topic debates, especially those centered on politics or religion rather than the article topic
No AI content or SPAM