Jessica Chastain teased longtime friend Jeremy Strong about his sad expression in a text exchange after their latest movies saw very different box office results. The actress shared their private text exchange on Instagram Stories, turning a weekend of theatrical competition into a joke between two friends. For Strong, whose solemn expressions have become a running part of his public image since Succession, the punchline practically wrote itself.

The exchange came as Chastain’s horror film Other Mommy outperformed Strong’s The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin’s follow-up to The Social Network. Their friendly rivalry offered a reminder that Hollywood’s box office scoreboard does not have to dictate what happens between colleagues who know each other well.

Jeremy Strong sent Jessica Chastain a Vulture headline announcing Other Mommy’s box office victory.

“‘Other Mommy’ Spanks ‘The Social Reckoning’ at the Box Office.” Chastain responded with “Omg,” prompting Strong to reply with a middle-finger emoji and a kiss emoji. The two then turned their attention to the publication’s accompanying photographs, which featured them side by side in character.

“These pics are hysterical,” Chastain wrote.

Strong agreed, replying, “Its so funny.” Chastain then delivered the exchange’s most memorable line: “You look SO SAD!”

It was an especially well-aimed tease given Strong’s post-Succession reputation. His portrayal of Kendall Roy, the Roy family heir forever caught between grand ambitions and emotional collapse, made his pained expressions almost as recognizable as the character’s disastrous attempts to seize power. Online, fan pages devoted to ‘Kendal Roy Looking Sad’ have paired photographs of the actor with philosophical quotations, turning his naturally serious public image into its own internet genre. Chastain’s observation landed squarely in that tradition.

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That familiar expression gave Chastain plenty of material to work with, but the weekend’s box office results added another layer to their playful exchange. 

Other Mommy opened in first place with $27.5 million, substantially exceeding expectations despite poor reviews and a D+ CinemaScore grade. Made on an $18 million budget, the Blumhouse and Universal release has a promising financial start, even if audience and critical reactions have been less enthusiastic.

Meanwhile, The Social Reckoning earned $5.5 million, falling short of its projected $7 million to $8 million debut. The film follows a Facebook engineer, played by Mikey Madison, who leaks internal company documents to a reporter portrayed by Jeremy Allen White. Strong plays Mark Zuckerberg, once again approaching the role with the immersive preparation associated with his method-acting reputation.

Aaron Sorkin told The New York Times that Strong treated his fellow actors as he imagined Zuckerberg would treat the people around him. Sorkin explained that Strong would not necessarily socialize between takes, adding, “You cannot argue with the results.”

The opening weekend gave Chastain the box office bragging rights, while Strong supplied the perfect reaction image. Their exchange suggests that the competition is best enjoyed with a sense of humor.

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Which part of Jessica Chastain and Jeremy Strong’s exchange made you laugh the most? Share your thoughts in the comments.