Jessica Chastain has distanced herself from Apple TV+’s decision to postpone her new show, which deals with political extremism.
The Zero Dark Thirty star, 48, is set to play the titular character in The Savant, an investigator who infiltrates online hate groups.
It had been expected to premiere on September 26, but Apple TV+ announced yesterday that “after careful consideration” the series is being postponed to an unspecified “future date.”
No reason for the delay was stated, although the decision is believed to have been influenced by concerns over the subject matter in light of the recent killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
In a statement posted to her Instagram account, Chastain wrote: “I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple. 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.
“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.”
An official synopsis for the series states: “The tense and thrilling series follows an undercover investigator known as ‘The Savant’ (Jessica Chastain) as she infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act.”
