Jessica Chastain has spoken out after Apple TV+ delayed the release of her thriller series, “The Savant,” in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple,” the actress, 48, wrote on Instagram Wednesday. “They’ve been incredible collaborators and I deeply respect their team. That said, I wanted to reach out and let you know that we’re not aligned on the decision to pause the release of ‘The Savant.’ “
Jessica Chastain in “The Savant.” Elizabeth FisherChastain continued: “In the last five years since we’ve been making the show, we’ve seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States: the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; the January 6th attack on the Capitol; the assassination attempts on President Trump; the political assassinations of Democratic representatives in Minnesota; the attack on Speaker Pelosi’s husband; the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk; the recent shooting at an ABC affiliate station in California; and over 300 school shootings across this country.”
Chastain in “The Savant.” Elizabeth Fisher
Charlie Kirk during a debate. Turning Point USA“These incidents, though far from encompassing the full range of violence witnessed in the United States, illustrate a broader mindset that crosses the political spectrum and must be confronted,” the Oscar winner said. “I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is. ‘The Savant’ is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever.
“While I respect Apple’s decision to pause the release for now, I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon,” Chastain added. “Until then, I’m wishing safety and strength for everyone, and I’ll let you know if and when The Savant is released.”
Chastain in “The Savant.” Elizabeth FisherThe Post has reached out to Apple for comment.
On Tuesday, Apple TV+ said in a statement: “After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone ‘The Savant.’ We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date.”
“The Savant” was supposed to premiere its first two episodes Sept. 26, with the remaining six episodes set to come out weekly.
Jessica Chastain Elizabeth FisherThe Apple TV+ app now says the limited series is “coming at a later date.”
Apple’s official description for the series reads: “The tense and high-stakes thriller follows an undercover investigator known as ‘The Savant’ as she infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act.”
Melissa James Gibson created the show, which is based on Andrea Stanley’s 2019 Cosmopolitan story titled “Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?”
Chastain in “The Savant” on Apple TV+. Elizabeth FisherChastain plays Jodi Goodwin in the show. She’s also one of the executive producers.
The cast also includes Nnamdi Asomugha, Pablo Schreiber, Cole Doman, Dagmara Domińczyk, James Badge Dale, Jordana Spiro, Trinity Lee Shirley, Toussaint Francois Battiste and Michael Mosley.
During an interview with RadioTimes published Tuesday, Chastain acknowledged the series connects to real-life events.
Chastain in “The Savant.” Elizabeth Fisher“I hate that this show is relevant. I hate it,” Chastain stated. “I hate that there are mass acts of violence. But maybe through this conversation and through unearthing this darkness in society, then we’re gonna work together to fix it. We’re gonna work together to protect our children, to create some legislations, to put some guardrails on the things that they’re seeing.”
Chastain in Apple TV+’s “The Savant.” Elizabeth FisherThe “Zero Dark Thirty” actress also said that filming “The Savant” made her “more hopeful” about the troubling issues the series raises.
“But I always choose to live from a place of hope,” she added.



