CNN
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Geena Davis is not one to keep quiet on important matters.
In fact, she has built a research empire of sorts through her Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media and founded a film festival that aims to empower underrepresented voices in Hollywood.
But on this day, beaming via Zoom from Arkansas, Davis is mum, even when answering an all-important question to end a 30-year debate between “A League of Their Own” loyalists. Was asked for: Did Dottie Hinson drop the ball on purpose?
“I love that people still argue about it 30 years later,” she says, recounting the climactic scene of their World Series win to the Rockford Peaches and half of a fighting sister pair giving up Huh. “I had to decide for my character what really happened. So I, at least from my perspective, I know what happened… but I’ve decided never to tell anyone.
She loves the ending, she says, too contested, as it can be in some circles.
“I’ve seen it a million times,” Oscar winner Laughing says. “I’m not shy about watching my movies.”
This, she says, came from advice she once got from Dustin Hoffman, who told her that when actors make a movie, they get a chance to fix it “and so you need to know that you did your best.” Do what you could,” she says.
“I’ve always kept that philosophy and things don’t bother me at all. Really,” she says. “I enjoy watching them.”
And as far as “A League of Their Own,” “it’s really sustained, you know?” she says.
Oh, we know.
Released on July 1, 1992, the late Penny Marshall’s “A League of Their Own” was a summer hit, grossing over $132.4 million and earning critical acclaim. That was about to change everything, with some predicting that the film — which stars Tom Hanks and Madonna — would give way to a flood of female-led sports movies. It did not happen.
But three decades later, it lives on as an important and beloved piece of film history in a world where its star is fighting to see the change in Hollywood that was predicted then and some.
Suppose she is not dropping the ball.
“A League of Their Own” is a movie that anyone can enjoy, but it’s also a film proudly claimed by women, who got the rare opportunity to see themselves in a sports film and as an athletic one. Did not get the role of supporting spouse. Male character with a fully realized existence.
Davis hears stories all the time from women who say they play or play because of “A League of Their Own.” Davis found that he had untapped athletic abilities of his own, even while training for the film. (Those abilities took him to the Olympic Trials in archery at one point.)
But it was shortly before “A League of Their Own” that Davis really started learning how to play ball in Hollywood.
In a 2019 interview with the Unladylike podcast, Davis pointed to his time working with Susan Sarandon on “Thelma & Louise,” calling it an eye-opening experience and education in directivity.
“I realized later that I have never seen a woman behave like this; I’ve never heard a woman ask for things without starting with, ‘I don’t know what you think. It might be a bad idea…'” she said in the episode.
Davis grew up in a very humble household. (In fact, he has a memoir called “The Death of Politics” coming out this fall.) Asking for things was not naturally in his DNA.
Since starting her institute in 2004, she has found a way to marry Sarandon’s sensibilities with her own values to navigate the choppy waters of equality in Hollywood.
“My strategy has been to research and get the data, and then, because I can go straight to the creators… I share this information very privately and collegiately with every studio, every network, every production company. And encourage change. That way,” she said. “So far, it looks like it’s really working.”
it really is.
One of the goals of the institute at its inception was to have more prominent female characters in children’s films and television. When they began their efforts, only 11% of children featured female characters in lead roles. Now, it is 50%.
“I mean, we have a lot more work to do… and, you know, other dimensions of underrepresentation, but we’re excited about it,” she says.
Another win: Her Bentonville Film Festival, now in its eighth year, is taking place again in Arkansas this weekend. In last year’s judging competition, according to the festival, 71% of the films screened were directed by women, 75% were directed by people who are BIPOC (an abbreviation for Black, Indigenous and People of Color). or were a member of API (Asian/Pacific). Islander) community, and 33% by people from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Davis said that more and more, he is approached by people who want to talk about the work he has done with his institution, rather than his films.
“They really have ideas to share and they really care about it. So it means a lot,” she says.
“A League of Their Own”, meanwhile, will soon have a second life as an upcoming Amazon series starring Abbi Jacobson, Chante Adams and D’Arcy Kardon, among others.
Although Davis isn’t ready to get into the project, she is blessed.
“I heard about it probably a few years back and I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait and I’m doing an event with him soon.” “I really like that it’s also about completely different characters. It’s a different team. It’s the same world, the same environment, but a different group of people.”
Davis declared to her parents when she was a kid that she was going to get into movies when she grew up, but this chapter, as both an actor and a real world changer? She admits she never saw it coming.
“I could never have anticipated that there would be this flip side in my life,” she says, emphasizing that acting is still her day job. “It happened because I had kids… but my roles have affected my life in such a strong way. You know, I became an athlete because of ‘A League of Their Own.’ And, uh, ‘Thelma ‘And Lewis’ got me interested in women’s equality. So my life has really changed depending on the role I’ve played. It’s been kind of fascinating.”
Good thing Davis knows how to handle a curveball or two.