Jessica Chastain was gearing up for the premiere of her new thriller The Savant until Apple TV+ decided to put the brakes on. Now, the actress is speaking out against the streaming service's decision to postpone the show, making it clear that the two sides are "not aligned."
“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant,” Apple TV+ told TVLine. “We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date.”
Created by playwright Melissa James Gibson (who's writing credits include The Americans and House of Cards), The Savant is based on the true story featured in a 2019 issue of Cosmopolitan. It follows a woman (Chastain) who infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop mass shootings and other acts of violence.
Chastain responded on Instagram, expressing disappointment that Apple chose to delay releasing The Savant. "I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple," she wrote. "They’ve been incredible collaborators and I deeply respect their team,” she wrote. “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."
While Apple didn't explicitly say why it chose to postpone the series just days before its release, Chastain's message suggests the current political and social climate played a role.
"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.
"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. 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. Until then, I’m wishing safety and strength for everyone, and I’ll let you know if and when The Savant is released."
The most likely explanation is that Apple feels releasing The Savant so close to the murder of Charlie Kirk would spark negative backlash. Although no clear connection has been made between Kirk's alleged killer and online hate groups, it wouldn't be a stretch for some audiences to draw conclusions about the series based on the timing.
The entertainment industry has already been impacted by Kirk's death and the subsequent fallout. Cable news personalities lost their jobs based on their commentary, and ABC suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for his comments on the topic.
Still, Chastain's series doesn't directly deal with the same subject matter. The actress stressed that The Savant has been in development for five years, and during that time, a number of public attacks have occurred. None of those seemed to discourage Apple from continuing with developing, filming, or marketing the series.
Chastain's break with the streaming service seems to be over the message behind The Savant. The star wants to put the focus on the heroes who stop crimes and prevent violence, rather than make the conversation be about the politics that motivate such hate groups. For Chastain, depicting those on the front lines against violence shouldn't be a partisan issue.
Apple has not announced a new release date for The Savant. Keep checking Show Snob for more updates.