Jessica Chastain: 'Robin Williams paid for my education'

Jessica Chastain has revealed that a scholarship she received which paid for her acting training at New York's Julliard School was funded by Robin Williams.

The Tree of Life actress explained that she has never met Williams in person, but would love to personally thank him for the opportunities she was able to take advantage of because of his generosity.

Chastain told WENN: "It paid for my schooling, back and forth to go home for Christmas, books, everything.

"He actually made it possible for me to go to school there because my family were not incredibly wealthy and I was the first one to go to college."

Chastain went on to reveal that she was once seated next to Williams at a restaurant and planned to speak to him after his meal, but missed her chance when he exited the establishment in a hurry.

"I had the urge to go run after him but I thought he would think I was crazy," the Help actress recalled.

"I missed the opportunity to thank him for his generosity, so I'm sure at some point I'll be able to meet him at a party or an event and I will then be the crazy person who runs up to him and says, 'Oh my gosh, you changed my life!'"

Chastain recently said that her parents were sceptical about her acting career because of the gap between production and release dates of the films she appeared in.

Watch a trailer for The Tree of Life below: