The 73-year-old actor said he realised her potential when he first saw her auditioning for "Wild Salome", reported Contactmusic.
Pacino said after seeing her, he instantly felt that she would become one of Hollywood's most exciting leading ladies.
Discussing Chastain's impressive audition in front of himself and producer Robert Fox, he said, "It was as if we had both seen something we had never seen in our life before. It was stunning. It was like looking at a prodigy."