Jessica Chastain's Heartland Introduces An Unlikable Country Music Star

Jessica Chastain's Retired Country Star Refuses To Be Likable In Netflix's New Nashville Noir Image via Netflix Published Nov 13, 2026, 8:00 AM EST Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. Jessica Chastain's retired country star has refused to be likable in Netflix's new, Nashville-set noir that has a Western streak to its story. Chastain's best movies have seen her portray characters in realistic scenarios, mostly focusing on bringing some larger-than-life figures to the big screen. This includes her award-winning performance in the 2022 biopic In the Eyes of Tammy Faye, as well as her role as a CIA intelligence analyst in Zero Dark Thirty. Chastain's done it all, and 2026 has been no exception to that rule. Chastain's roles this year have been a balancing act that, ultimately, have been a mixed bag. She starred in Other Mommy, a horror movie about a young girl terrorized by a supernatural force that looks like her mother. The film was panned by critics, though Chastain's performance was given some praise. But this movie is just one of two that she's starring in this year. The other, a Netflix original, seems like a more promising story that will redeem her 2026 movie roles. That project is Heartland, a Nashville-set noir mystery that sees Chastain take on the role of retired country singer Misty Jones. Misty is a no-nonsense, callous figure who used to be famous, but has since stepped away from the spotlight after events in her past. She returns to Nashville after a long time away, though not because of her music career. She's searching for her niece, an up-and-coming country singer named Charlie Heart (Carter Faith), who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Heartland is now streaming on Netflix. Heartland's Retired Country Star Challenges The Traditional Music Biopic Chastain's Misty is a challenge to typical notions of the musical biopic. Heartland has plenty of country songs as part of its soundtrack, which was released on the same day as the movie itself. There's a keen focus on Misty's past as a country singer, but one that doesn't stick with the same notions as a biopic. Instead, the film takes on a crime noir focus, as Misty uses her past connections to Nashville's seedy underbelly to seek out her niece, putting herself in grave danger in the process. Yet she's seemingly unbothered by much of this, having a hardened attitude that doesn't let many people in. She's not a likable protagonist, constantly getting under people's skin or acting in ways they don't expect her to. It makes her feel like a classic Western hero more than a country singer. But it's this approach that makes Heartland all the more engaging, as Misty is always finding herself in hot water because of her past as she attempts to locate and rescue her niece. That Potentially Unlikable Character Could Be Heartland's Biggest Strength But, despite Misty having a mean streak to her, the character being unlikable could be the best part of the movie. Her attitude toward others makes her the perfect candidate to save her niece, since she'll go the extra mile in doing what has to be done, regardless of people's perception of her. She doesn't care what has to happen to bring her niece home. All that matters is that she gets the job done, no matter who or what gets in her way. This makes Heartland a strong entry for Chastain's career, alongside a fantastic new Netflix original that toes the line between country singer biopic and crime noir thriller. It also feels like redemption after Chastain's Other Mommy reception, giving her a shot at having a strong 2026 movie that impresses with its story and lead character. With the movie now out on Netflix, it won't be long before audience reception is finalized, alongside its performance on streaming in the coming days and weeks. Release Date November 13, 2026 Director Shana Feste Writers Shana Feste Producers Jenno Topping, Peter Chernin, Jason Owen, Mark Anthony Little, Randall Poster Cast