Chastain talks depression

Jessica Chastain thinks it’s important to foster an open dialogue about depression.

The Zero Dark Thirty star is still mourning the loss of comedian Robin Williams, who died of an apparent suicide last month after a long struggle with the mood disorder.

And she hopes more will be done to educate the public about depression and to remove any stigma surrounding it.

"We know that many artists in history have struggled with depression, they have extreme highs and extreme lows but sometimes I wonder if an artist feels free to discuss it openly because so many beautiful things happen you kind of feel like if someone's feeling down there's kind of this stigma of, ‘Your life is so great, how dare you feel bad about yourself?’” she explained Sky News at the UK premiere of new film Salome.

"So I hope that changes because clearly he [Robin Williams] was suffering from depression and didn't feel he could really express that, so I hope we as a society welcome people to talk about depression more."

Jessica credits Robin with much of her success. She was able to attend The Julliard School in New York largely due to a scholarship paid for by the late actor, and has been vocal about her gratitude in the wake of his death.

"He was a complete stranger, and he absolutely changed my life," she said on America’s Today show earlier this month.

The actress said at the time that while she never met the star, she hopes she can keep his spirit of giving alive.

"It inspires me to try to continue his legacy of generosity. It's such a beautiful thing that he did, and he would want to help other people, I think," she said.