To say that Geena Davis has had an accomplished career would be an understatement. From her very first major film, Thelma & Louise, she has embodied strong women characters with determination and sharp wit. She won her first Oscar as the star of The Accidental Tourist, and then scored another nomination when she took on the role of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. From Peanuts To Oscar Winner: The Many Faces of Geena Davis
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A brief summary of her achievements
One of Hollywood’s most memorable actresses, Geena Davis is best known for her starring roles in movies such as Beetlejuice (1988) and A League Of Their Own (1992), which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. What’s less known about the star is that she also founded a nonprofit organization, co-founded an institute to study sexism and gender issues in children’s media and has been a passionate advocate for women’s health issues since becoming a single mother. From Peanuts To Oscar Winner: The Many Faces of Geena Davis
Her beginnings
Her father moved his family to Cartersville, Georgia, where she attended South Cobb High School. She spent her summers at her mother’s family farm in Apple Valley, Minnesota. After graduation, Davis enrolled at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. At college, she began acting in local stage productions and trained as a drama major; a knee injury ended her athletic career prematurely and focused her on drama.
Breakthrough roles in American Graffiti (1973) and Ordinary People (1980)
Her first major role was in George Lucas’ nostalgic 1973 coming-of-age drama American Graffiti, in which she played a 1950s high school graduate who doesn’t have a clear idea about what to do with her future. In 1980 she starred as Kimberly MacIntyre in Robert Redford’s widely acclaimed drama Ordinary People, portraying a young woman coming to terms with her brother’s accidental death. Both roles garnered her wide critical acclaim and awards attention.
A successful television career from 1981 to 1989
She subsequently began making films. Some of her successful films include Beetlejuice (1988), The Accidental Tourist (1988), Thelma & Louise (1991), A League of Their Own (1992) and Toy Story (1995). She won two Golden Globe Awards, one for her role in The Accidental Tourist and another for L.A. Story, a comedy-drama film directed by Mick Jackson.
Three time Academy Award nominee (Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own and Beetlejuice)
Most people know her as an actor, but she has also had a successful career as an entrepreneur and co-founder of two non-profit organizations. Her creative vision and business sense have allowed her to turn these endeavors into million dollar companies with global reach. Most recently, she’s starred in a public service announcement for VISA that showcases her belief that women should have access to high quality healthcare services around the world. She is passionate about social causes including gender equality and diversity on screen and behind it.
Two time Golden Globe nominee (Enchanted and The Accidental Tourist)
In her role as Kathy McCallister, she was given a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1995, Davis won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in A League of Their Own. She was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her performance in a 2001 television movie based on Terry McMillan’s novel How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
Founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
As part of her involvement in research for women and girls, Davis founded in 2004, with her husband, a non-profit organization called Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. According to its mission statement, The Institute conducts extensive research to identify and explore representations of gender in media.
Q.&A.
What is your favorite childhood memory? I loved being on set. My parents were actors, and they worked all day, so my brother and I would just hang out on set. He was an extra in a movie once; it was one of his proudest moments. But it wasn’t until I became an actor that I realized how lucky we were to have that experience.
Are Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum still friends?
Virginia Elizabeth Geena Davis is an American actress, producer, writer and former fashion model. Over her career, she has received several awards and nominations including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award, along with five Emmy nominations. Her performance as Heather Chandler in 1991’s Thelma & Louise earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
Is the old lady in a league of their own Geena Davis?
Her portrayal as an autistic child in The Accidental Tourist (1988) is considered to be one of her greatest performances. It earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination. A League Of Their Own (1992), on which she played Rene Lacheman, brought her four awards, including an Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress.
What nationality is Geena Davis?
She is an American. She was born in Wareham, Massachusetts and raised in New York City, New York. Her mother, Lucille (née Upchurch), was a substitute teacher and therapist, and her father, William F. Davis Jr., was a Classics professor at Columbia University’s Barnard College for many years teaching Greek literature. She has Irish ancestry from her paternal grandmother who lived in Cork with her grandfather who worked as a diplomat.
How old was Brad Pitt in Thelma and Louise?
36. Brad Pitt was born on December 18, 1963. He played J.D., one of two hitmen hired to kill Thelma and Louise after they leave him for dead at a rest stop during their road trip from Arkansas to Mexico in Ridley Scott’s 1991 drama Thelma & Louise. How old was Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman? : 26. Julia Roberts was born on October 28, 1967.