Is Christopher Nolan hurting Jessica Chastain’s Oscar chances?

Jessica Chastain stars in this weekend’s big release, Christopher Nolan’s science-fiction drama “Interstellar.” But she also has another, much smaller film, J.C. Chandor’s mob drama “a Most Violent Year,” that she’d love to tell you about but Nolan won’t let her. Chastain is reportedly being blocked from doing any publicity for the smaller film by Nolan and the “Interstellar” team, who are enforcing a contract clause that prohibits her from campaigning for any other film until early December, according to the New York Times.

Chastain actually has a number of films she could be talking about as the end-of-the-year awards season ramps up, but “a Most Violent Year” seems to be her best chance for a nomination, and that speculation is what prompted the “Interstellar” team to enforce the clause, according to sources with knowledge of the conflict. “I never comment on my contracts or my salary,” Chastain told the Times, declining to comment on the dispute, though she did point out that Nolan himself helped her get out of a “Late Show with David Letterman” appearance so that she could attend the Hollywood premiere of “a Most Violent Year” this week. That seems to be the extent of appearances she’ll be allowed to make in support of the film for a while.

Follow Ned Ehrbar on Twitter: @nedrick