Geena Davis Reveals The Shameful Reason She Was Denied A Huge Role
Oscar-winning actor Geena Davis is beloved by fans for her iconic roles in "Tootsie," "The Accidental Tourist," "A League of Their Own," and more. Davis made headlines after revealing the shameful reason she wasn't cast for a huge role during a recent media interview. The #MeToo movement began in 2017, but Davis has been battling sexism, ageism, and racism in the entertainment industry for years.
Davis founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in 2004. According to the organization's website SeeJane.org, "The institute is the only research-based organization working collaboratively within the entertainment industry to create gender balance, foster inclusion, and reduce negative stereotyping in family entertainment media." The Institute's research has made a significant impact in Hollywood.
The Institute developed a digital tool called Spellcheck for Bias with Signal Analysis and USC's Viterbi School of Engineering. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the software uses artificial intelligence to "analyze scripts and identify characters by gender, race, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability, age, and body type." NBCUniversal did a pilot using the software, resulting in adjustments to 20% of the scripts tested. Davis told THR, "I am heartened by NBCUniversal's commitment and ongoing dedication to systemically improve Latino, Latina, Black, and AAPI representation in their content companywide as well as to incorporate many insights from our Spellcheck for Bias into upcoming productions." It's a good thing Davis is helping Hollywood understand bias; you won't believe why she wasn't cast in a big role!
Geena Davis was too old for male co-star 20 years older
Geena Davis revealed she once lost a part in a movie role because the male star thought she was too old even though the male actor was much older than her! Davis talked to Allison Kugel about gender bias in Hollywood on the "Allison Interviews" podcast. Davis said, "It's very strange and so prevalent. A certain male actor that was making a movie said that I was too old to be his romantic interest, and I was 20 years younger than him." The "Thelma & Louise" star said that in the acting industry, "Women peak in their 20s and 30s, and men peak in their 40s and 50s as far as actors go."
The "Beetlejuice" star said one of the reasons the Institute has made an impact on Hollywood was because she is in the industry. Davis told Kugel, "I could go in a very friendly way privately with my colleagues and share the information with them. The universal reaction when people first hear it is they are stunned."
Davis said the creators of children's entertainment are very shocked by the results. "The combination of seeing the data proved that there is a big problem, and then realizing they want to do right by kids has been the magic formula in creating change, which is very exciting," she said. Davis' friendly approach is smart. The 65-year-old Oscar winner is a Mensa member (via Insider), and she's putting her brain to good use!