Geena Davisis an accomplished actress who has received major awards for her work in film, including both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. She first gained recognition for her performance inTootsie,opposite Dustin Hoffman, and soon after became a widely successful actress who fought for gender equality in Hollywood. Indeed, in 2007, she launched theGeena Davis Instituteon Gender in Media, which a non-profit organization that focuses its research on gender representation and inclusivity in all aspects of media. An extension of her work with the Insitute, Davis also founded theBentonville Film Festivalin 2015, which uplifts underrepresented filmmakers.
As an actress, Davis has starred in some of the most iconic roles in films, which are now part of film history. Through her work, she has championed women representation onscreen, bringing to life nuanced portraits of different women and women narratives. FromBeetlejuicetoThelma & Louise, here are her best movies, ranked.
7Beetlejuice
Beetlejuicewas released in 1998 and was a massive success when it was released. Since then, it has remained a cult classic and is still rewatched to this day.Beetlejuicewasdirected by Tim Burton, and Davis stars alongside Alec Baldwin as the Maitlands, a couple who die after crashing off a bridge and who enlist the help of Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to help them out. It’s a gothic classic that remains a classic in Burton’s filmography.
Related:These Are Michael Keaton’s Best Movies
6A League of Their Own
A League of Their Ownwas directed by Penny Marshell and dramatizes the All-American Girls Baseball League, which became popular during the war when most men were fighting. The film stars Davis as well as big names like Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, Lori Petty, and Tom Hanks. This baseball movie remains a heart-warming feel-good film that is still enjoyable and adored today. So much so, in fact, thatAmazon is set to releaseits reboot series this summer.
Tootsiewas Davis’ on-screen debut and was a huge success at the box office. The film was directed by Sydney Pollack, who also stars, and also features performances by Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange. The film focuses on Michael (Hoffman), who decides that he should audition for a soap opera as a woman and remain in character throughout. Davis plays one of the soap’s crewmembers, April, and it’s overall an enjoyable movie.
4The Accidental Tourist
The Accidental Touristsaw Davis win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film was directed by Lawrence Kasdan, and centers around the end of a marriage following the murder of their son. Davis received widespread acclaim for her role as Muriel, who becomes involved in a complicated relationship.
Related:Geena Davis to Star in Mother-Son Legal Drama for CBS Pilot
3This Changes Everything
Davis appears in the documentaryThis Changes Everything, which she also produced. The film was directed by Tim Donahue and features appearances by Donahue and Davis, who are joined by Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Shonda Rhimes, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Jessica Chastain, among other Hollywood greats. The gender inequality in the film and TV industry is examined, and it’s a great watch that emphasizes Davis campaign for something she is passionate about.
The Flyhas become a beloved cult Hollywood film, however, this was still a very early entry in Davis’ filmography at the time of release. The film tells the story of a scientist (Jeff Goldblum) working on a creation that can transport matter, however, the experiment goes wrong, and a human’s genes are mixed with a fly’s, resulting in a monstrous creation.The Flyhas remained a cult classic and is still a hit amongst body horror fans today.
1Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louiseis a beloved film that was directed by Ridley Scott, and sees Davis co-star with Susan Sarandon as best friends who take a cross-country adventure and become involved with serious crime. Davis is Thelma and Sarandon is Louise; their chemistry is perfect and the film remains a cult classic, which is constantly referenced in pop culture as one of the greatest movies about women friendship.
