She nearly died at 8 — then became one of Hollywood’s most powerful women

Yet, beneath the fame and glamour, she battled personal challenges, including a near-fatal experience during her childhood at just 8 years old.

A Unique Upbringing

In the 1990s, few stars could evoke the same admiration and accolades as this actress. With her iconic dimples and irresistible charm, she became a beacon of Hollywood magic, showcasing her exceptional talent from the very beginning of her career.

Born on January 21, 1958, in Wareham, Massachusetts, she realized at an early age that acting was her true passion.

Reflecting on her early years, she recalled, “At three years old, I somehow understood it was a profession, even though we were only allowed to watch animated Disney films.”

Her parents, Bill and Lucille, adhered to traditional values, to the point where she humorously noted that they might have lived as Amish people if they had known about it.

Together with her older brother, Dan, she was brought up with a strong focus on manners and etiquette.

Looking back at her upbringing in New England, she shared, “Both my parents came from Vermont, steeped in old-fashioned New England values. We heated our home with firewood my father chopped and my mother cultivated our meals. We lived a life with limited exposure to the outside world.”

A Life-Threatening Experience

Despite her sheltered upbringing, she endured some harrowing and tragic incidents as a child.

She revealed that at 8, she faced a terrifying situation while riding with her 99-year-old great-uncle Jack, who recklessly swerved through oncoming traffic. Although a car was almost upon them, neither she nor her parents spoke up about his dangerous driving. At the last moment, Jack managed to correct his course, narrowly avoiding a crash. This experience instilled in her the lesson to always be polite, regardless of circumstances.

This theme of being overly polite and not asserting oneself is a central message in her 2022 memoir, ‘Dying of Politeness’.

A Hidden Trauma

In her memoir, she also courageously shared a deeply traumatic childhood event — being molested by a neighbor while delivering newspapers.

Like many survivors of abuse, she only started to grasp the severity of the incident as an adult.

She recounted to Vanity Fair, “I felt a great deal of shame about what happened because I didn’t recognize it as wrong at the time. I was shocked to see my mother’s reaction — it made me realize this was significant, and I had done something terribly wrong.”

Her mother confronted the neighbor, but no formal complaint was lodged.

She acknowledged, “I held awareness that he was also responsible because my mother walked over and told him never to touch me again, and she instructed me to avoid going to his apartment. However, she didn’t clarify what had transpired or why it was unacceptable, which left me bearing this terrible secret.”

She reflected, ‘The most important lesson I learned was to never voice any complaints.’”

She remarked, ‘You must not attract attention to yourself by expressing grievances, so I kept silent about it, despite my desire to speak out.’”

Facing Bullying

Another pivotal aspect of her formative years was her height. In high school, she was notably the tallest girl, a characteristic that often hindered rather than bolstered her self-confidence.

‘They always wanted me on the basketball team, but I wasn’t very skilled,’ she shared with The Chilliwack Progress in 1985. ‘I excelled in track, particularly high jumps and hurdles, but being the tallest girl made things challenging.’”

‘I was tall from the very start,’ she told The View. ‘I felt very self-conscious and shy; standing out was the last thing I wanted, yet it seemed I was always in the spotlight.’”

Being teased by her peers exacerbated her struggles.

‘It was incredibly tough growing up. The boys in high school nicknamed me Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which was quite charming,’ she recalled, referencing the famous Lakers player.

Beyond sports, she participated in the marching band as a flutist, and during her final year, she had the opportunity to study in Sweden, becoming fluent in the language.

She pursued further education at New England College in New Hampshire before transferring to Boston University to study drama. Her parents supported her decision to pursue acting at Boston University without objection.

‘I think they were so unfamiliar with the field that they perceived it would be incredibly unusual and remarkable if I achieved success,’ she said to The Gentle Woman.

In an unexpected revelation, she admitted she never disclosed to her parents that she hadn’t completed college, despite Wikipedia claiming otherwise for years.

‘They were never aware of the truth before they passed on,’ she disclosed.

Victoria’s Secret Model

In 1977, she moved to New York City, taking various jobs as a window model, sales clerk, and waitress while beginning her modeling career. Her dedication paid off when she signed with the Zoli Agency, featuring in the legendary Victoria’s Secret catalog, which ultimately opened doors to Hollywood.

‘I knew I wanted to transition into film, rather than theater,’ she stated to NPR.

‘I figured becoming a model first would be a viable route, given that women like Christie Brinkley and Lauren Hutton were landing roles in films. I thought, ‘I’ll become a model, and they’ll naturally offer me parts, as it seemed simpler to become a supermodel.’”

In the end, it all worked out, although the chances of becoming a well-known model were quite slim. I did find work through my agency, which led to my first acting opportunity.

Her big break arrived when the legendary director Sydney Pollack discovered her in the catalog and cast her in the 1982 film Tootsie, paving the way for a career that would leave an indelible mark on Hollywood. After co-starring with Dustin Hoffman, she received rave reviews for her portrayal, and soon after, she moved to Los Angeles, where her career truly began to flourish.

This marked the beginning of her recognition by the public, resulting in an influx of filmmakers eager to work with the emerging star.

Her name? Geena Davis.

In 1983, she starred in the acclaimed TV series Buffalo Bill, followed by her own series, Sara, in 1985. After Sara was canceled, she redirected her focus to film, appearing in the 1985 project Transylvania 6-5000 alongside Jeff Goldblum, which unfortunately did not perform well at the box office.

Thelma & Louise

However, in 1986, she reunited with Goldblum for the iconic horror film The Fly, which marked a significant turning point in her cinematic journey.

Her ascent continued with a notable role in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice in 1988. The following year, she starred in The Accidental Tourist, a film that garnered four Academy Award nominations. Her performance won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, solidifying her place among Hollywood’s elite.

Nevertheless, her most memorable role remains in Thelma & Louise, a pioneering feminist film directed by Ridley Scott, which also fostered a significant friendship that empowered Davis to discover her voice — her relationship with co-star Susan Sarandon was particularly impactful.

Davis remembers Sarandon as someone who ‘expressed her thoughts plainly and directly.’ After Thelma & Louise, she starred in A League of Their Own, further establishing her importance in female-centric cinema.

She noted that the strong response to these films was “unexpected and profound,” highlighting the rarity of films created by and for women.

At the pinnacle of her Hollywood success, she garnered praise not just for her beauty but also for the depth and intellect she infused into her performances.

‘People frequently inquire if I consider myself beautiful. What am I supposed to say?’ she told Vogue in 1992. ‘However, when I see myself in a film, I occasionally think, ‘Oh, I look good in that.’”

One aspect of Hollywood she genuinely adored was dressing up for prestigious events. Following Thelma & Louise, she made a memorable appearance at the Oscars in a dramatic gown inspired by Bo Peep, complete with a flowing train.

‘I’m just a girl from a small town, and now I’m attending the Oscars. Naturally, I want to wear something glamorous,’ Davis explained, observing how different that world was from her own upbringing. She also pointed out that her parents led a very simple life, with her mother only wearing red lipstick as makeup.

However, as Davis neared 40, a familiar story for many actors began to unfold.

‘I fell off the cliff,’ she told The Guardian in 2020.

‘The availability of great roles diminished significantly. It was a stark contrast.’”

Four Marriages

While the industry may have allowed a prominent talent to fade, her influence remained strong. However, when her career took a downturn, other facets of her life became far more significant.

Davis, who has been married four times, including to her co-star Jeff Goldblum, became a mother for the first time at the age of 46. Now at 69, she is the mother of three: daughter Alizeh, 23, and fraternal twins Kaiis and Kian, 19.

With her fourth husband, plastic surgeon Reza Jarrahy, Davis fulfilled her dream of becoming a parent. They met at a gathering and began as friends, although Davis was initially hesitant due to their age difference of fifteen years. She acknowledged,

‘Initially, I approached it as just a fun experience, without thinking too much about the future.’”

Over time, Davis fell for Jarrahy, who became her fourth spouse and the father of her children. They wedded in 2001 and welcomed their first child, Alizeh, in 2002.

Motherhood in Her 40s

Becoming a mother in her mid-forties posed its challenges, and Davis has chosen not to disclose details about her pregnancy or whether she utilized IVF, as many older celebrity parents do.

In 2004, she gave birth to twins, Kaiis and Kian, and expressed her primary concern was managing three children under the age of three.

She also shared another fear: initially doubting whether she could love anyone as deeply as she loved her daughter — until she met her sons.

Unlike many celebrities who introduce their children to the acting world early, Davis is not advocating for her three to pursue a career in show business.

She is particularly protective of her daughter, emphasizing her desire to shield her from an industry that often objectifies and exploits women.

Yet, it is possible that Alizeh may follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her LinkedIn profile indicates that she is currently enrolled at the University of Southern California, pursuing a degree in the music industry and cinematic arts.

As her children grew, they inspired Davis to take action in the film industry. Observing the gender disparity in movies and television during her toddlers’ early years, she resolved to tackle the issue, ultimately founding the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in 2004. Today, she is a staunch advocate for gender equality in Hollywood, highlighting that 96% of films are directed by men.

Davis emphasizes that the dearth of female representation is not due to a lack of talent, but rather the result of a male-dominated industry.

Geena Davis Today

At 69, Davis remains engaged in her acting career.

She is poised to appear in the upcoming Netflix supernatural series The Boroughs, created by the Duffer Brothers. According to Deadline, the show is set in a seemingly idyllic retirement community where a group of unlikely heroes must unite to combat an otherworldly threat that seeks to steal their most precious asset: time.