'George & Tammy' star Jessica Chastain on Wynette's 'rage and ferocity' - New York Post

Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain shine in Showtime’s drama about fabled country music legends George Jones and Tammy Wynette who couldn’t live with or without each other as they veered toward a collision course fueled by alcoholism, opioid addiction and emotional turmoil — none of which which failed to dampen their love.

The series was created by Abe Sylvia, who wrote the screenplay for Chastain’s Oscar-winning role as Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” His passion in telling the Jones/Wynette story is palpable from the get-go, with Chastain and Shannon singing all the couple’s solos and duets themselves, adding an air of authenticity and, at times, heartbreak.

Not only do we see both sides of the Jones/Wynette equation, but their story is given added depth through others who witnessed their stormy relationship first-hand: guitarist Earl “Peanutt” Montgomery (Walton Goggins); Wynette’s confidant/hairdresser Jan Smith (Katy Mixon); Billy Sherrill (David Wilson Barnes), who co-wrote “Stand By Your Man” with Wynette; and songwriter George Richey (Steve Zahn), who later married Wynette (her fifth and final husband) and allegedly abused her (as seen in “George & Tammy”).

“I felt like her voice comes from a woman who was institutionalized … and wanted to leave her marriage and her mother took her kids away,” she said.

“To watch them on YouTube, when they’re both married to other people, I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Chastain said.

George was happy at home and Tammy was like, ‘Let’s go to Vegas’ and he said he never wanted to go to Vegas.”.

Chastain said she doesn’t think that Jones and Wynette could live without each other