Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain's biological father dies

NEW YORK, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A memorial was held this weekend in Sacramento for the estranged father of Oscar-nominated actress Jessica Chastain, the New York Daily News said.

Musician Michael Monasterio died of complications from bronchitis Feb. 5. He was 55.

Chastain, who is up for the Best Actress Oscar for her work in "Zero Dark Thirty," did not attend the service held for Monasterio Saturday, the day before the Academy Awards are to be presented.

The Daily News said the 35-year-old actress hadn't had contact with him for years.

"He is not on Jessica's birth certificate. There are no photos of Jessica and Michael together. Given all of the facts, there are no plans to attend," a source close to Chastain told the newspaper before the memorial.

The Daily News quoted sources as saying Monasterio was young and more interested in pursuing his music career than he was in family life when Chastain was little. The actress considers her firefighter stepfather, Michael Hastey, to be her dad, the report said.