Jessica Chastain Plans Production Company Freckle Films

Jessica Chastain has announced her latest role: president of a production company.

The Oscar-nominated actress has launched Freckle Films alongside development executive Elise Siegel.

The fledgling production company has entered into a first-look overhead deal with Maven Pictures, the development, production, and financing company founded by producers Celine Rattray (The Kids Are Alright) and Trudie Styler (Still Alice), as well as with Charlotte Ubben.

Under the new partnership, Maven will provide development funds and cover overhead costs to acquire a number of projects such as books, screenplays, plays and intellectual properties for Freckle Films and Maven to jointly produce.

Maven just sold Andrea Arnold’s American Honey to A24.

“I’m excited to launch Freckle Films, and I can’t imagine a better production partner than Maven Pictures,” Chastain said Thursday in a statement. “Trudie and Celine are not only both highly experienced and successful producers, but the projects they’ve created demonstrate their tenacious dedication to strong characters and compelling stories that clearly resonate with audiences.”

The companies have already optioned two books, The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister and Camille Pagan’s Life and Other Near-Death Experiences.

The Zero Dark Thirty actress will also be very busy with her on-camera work. She just wrapped production on Focus Features’ film adaptation of Diane Ackerman’s novel The Zookeeper’s Wife, and will next be seen in The Huntsman: Winter’s War for Universal, alongside Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron and Emily Blunt.