Geena Davis, a towering figure in the world of acting, had a childhood dream of treading the boards, but her high school experience was marked by feelings of exclusion and low self-esteem due to being the tallest girl in school at an impressive 6 feet. She found solace in drama, enrolling at New England College in New Hampshire before transferring to Boston University, where she majored in the very thing that brought her joy. However, her academic pursuits were cut short in 1979 when she dropped out and moved to New York to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Initially, Geena's career path was marked by humble beginnings, working as a sales clerk and waitress, including a stint at Ann Taylor where she eventually rose to the position of Saturday window mannequin. She even signed with the Zoli Agency, landing modeling gigs, including a stint in the iconic Victoria's Secret Catalogue. It was during this time that renowned director Sydney Pollack spotted Geena and cast her in the critically acclaimed film Tootsie (1982).
Geena's breakthrough role in Tootsie led to a string of successful film appearances, including the critically acclaimed television series Buffalo Bill (1983) and her own series Sara (1985). Her big-screen credits continued to roll in, with notable performances in Transylvania 6-5000 (1985),Fletch (1985),The Fly (1986),Beetlejuice (1988),The Accidental Tourist (1988),and Earth Girls Are Easy (1988). Her Oscar-winning performance in The Accidental Tourist (1988) cemented her status as a leading lady in Hollywood.
The 1990s saw Geena continue to thrive, starring in Quick Change (1990),Thelma & Louise (1991),A League of Their Own (1992),and Hero (1992). She also ventured into television, starring in the critically acclaimed Commander in Chief (2005),for which she won a Golden Globe. Her film credits during this period included Speechless (1994),Cutthroat Island (1995),The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996),and Stuart Little (1999),as well as its sequel Stuart Little 2 (2002).
In the 2000s, Geena returned to television, headlining The Geena Davis Show (2000) and Commander in Chief (2005). Although both shows were canceled after one season, her performance in Commander in Chief earned her a Golden Globe. In 2008, she ventured to Sydney, Australia, to film the dark comedy Accidents Happen (2009).