Biography
Who is Geena Davis?
Early life and real name
Virginia Elizabeth Davis was born on January 1956 in Wareham, Massachusetts. Her mother worked as a teacher's assistant while her father was a civil engineer and church deacon. She grew up with an older brother named Danforth and learned to play the piano and the flute during her youth.
She attended Wareham High School and spent time as an exchange student in Sweden, where she learned to speak Swedish fluently. She later studied at New England College before transferring to Boston University. Before her acting career took off, she worked as a window mannequin model and signed with the Zoli Agency in Manhattan.
How Geena became famous
Geena Davis made her film debut in the 1982 comedy Tootsie, directed by Sydney Pollack. She gained broader attention through her role in the science fiction horror film The Fly and the fantasy comedy Beetlejuice. These early roles helped establish her presence in Hollywood and paved the way for more prominent film work.
Career highlights
In 1988, Geena Davis starred in the romantic drama The Accidental Tourist, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She achieved further fame playing the title character alongside Susan Sarandon in Ridley Scott's road film Thelma & Louise, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
She continued her career with starring roles in A League of Their Own and the Stuart Little franchise. Later, she expanded into television, appearing in Commander in Chief and Grey's Anatomy. In 2026, she starred in the Netflix series The Boroughs.
Family and relationships
Geena Davis has been married and divorced during her life. Her former spouses include actor Jeff Goldblum and director Renny Harlin. She worked with Renny Harlin on the films Cutthroat Island and The Long Kiss Goodnight during their marriage.
Geena's height and personal life
Standing at 183 centimeters tall, Geena Davis is especially tall for an actress. Beyond acting, she founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in 2004 to advocate for female representation in the entertainment industry. She also launched the Bentonville Film Festival and received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Birthday and age
Geena Davis was born on January 21, 1956, which makes Geena 70 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Geena shares the date with 45 other famous people.
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