Jessica Chastain ‘not aligned’ with Apple pausing release of ‘The Savant’ in wake of Charlie Kirk murder

By Lisa Respers France, Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

(CNN) — Jessica Chastain is speaking out about Apple TV+ pausing the planned release of her limited series “The Savant.”

The thriller stars the Academy Award winner as an expert investigator who infiltrates online hate organizations in the hopes of thwarting acts of domestic terrorism.

The streamer announced Tuesday that it was postponing the show’s release, which had been scheduled for Friday.

In a post on her verified Instagram account, Chastain said she and the company were “not aligned” on the decision to delay the show, adding that she considered Apple “incredible collaborators” whom she “deeply respects.”

A spokesperson for Apple TV+ said in a statement to CNN that the decision was made “after careful consideration” and that it looked “forward to releasing the series at a future date.”

The decision to postpone the show came days after the memorial service for conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot at a Utah university earlier this month. His assassination was the latest act of political violence to draw widespread condemnation across the ideological spectrum.

Chastain made reference to this in her statement, noting that in the five years since they’ve been making the show, the country has “seen an unfortunate amount of violence” on its soil, going on to reference “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,” she wrote. “I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is.”

Her show, Chastain wrote, “is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever.”

Chastain’s post comes a day after Jimmy Kimmel returned to late night television following his show being pulled by parent company Disney in the midst of backlash and government pressure over comments he had made during his monologue after Kirk’s death in reference to Kirk’s suspected killer.

Kimmel’s preemption on various ABC affiliates owned by Nexstar and Sinclair led to the beginnings of a significant boycott of Disney and many of its subsidiaries, including Hulu.

Chastain concluded her statement by sharing that “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.”

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