Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Jessica Chastain as "Tammy Faye Bakker" in the film THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE
Earlier this month, Searchlight Pictures teased a trailer of The Eyes of Tammy Faye, a look into the lore surrounding Minnesota-raised televangelist and cultural enigma, Tammy Faye Bakker.
Born in International Falls, Tammy Faye Bakker and her husband, Jim Bakker, came to fame in the 1970s as their televangelist program, PTL Club, ballooned into a cultural empire (she later married Joe Messner and changed her name to Tammy Faye Messner in 1992).
Fueled by telethons and a devout national audience, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker expanded their influence and lived lavishly in the public eye. Bakker stirred up controversy in the evangelical community with her unashamedly gaudy appearance and outspoken support of LGBT struggles. But, in 1992, the Bakker empire imploded under the pressure of multiple financial and sexual scandals that landed Jim Bakker in jail.
Throughout her life, the world gave Bakker many titles including, but not limited to: evangelist, fraud, progressive, recording artist, mogul, and gay icon. Academy Award-nominated actress Jessica Chastain will produce the film as well as portray the many faces of Tammy Faye Bakker in the leading role. Andrew Garfield will take on the role of Jim Bakker, and the movie will be directed by Michael Showalter (whose recent directing credits include The Big Sick and The Lovebirds). The Eyes of Tammy Faye is based on the 2000 documentary of the same name, which was directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato and narrated by RuPaul.
“We are all part of this world, part of humanity, and part of grace. No matter where you come from, you are perfect, and you are fully and unconditionally loved. And that's what I hope people leave the theater knowing," Chastain told Entertainment Weekly about Bakker’s complex legacy.
Bakker has never been easy to boil down but, regardless of her life’s inherent contradictions and illusions, she is a Minnesotan icon. The Eyes of Tammy Faye is set to premiere September 17, 2021. Check out the trailer below.
