Geena Davis on joining ‘GLOW,’ #MeToo moment
Geena Davis is a Hollywood heavyweight, both on and off the screen.
The Oscar-winning star of “The Accidental Tourist,” “Thelma & Louise” and “A League of Their Own” returns to the small screen in the third season of Netflix ‘80s-set dramedy “GLOW” (now streaming), in which the show’s ragtag group of female wrestlers start a Las Vegas residency after losing their TV gig.
Davis joins the cast as savvy hotel manager Sandy Deveraux St. Clair, a former showgirl who doles out professional and personal advice to star wrestlers Ruth (Alison Brie) and Debbie (Betty Gilpin).
Davis also appears in the documentary “This Changes Everything” (in theaters in New York and Los Angeles, expanding to additional theaters and video-on-demand platforms Aug. 16), which tackles the under- and misrepresentation of women in entertainment.
Davis, 63, spoke to USA TODAY about both projects, and more.
Question: Were you a “GLOW” fan before coming on for Season 3?
Geena Davis: I was definitely a big fan. And obviously, I love women and there’s a ton of great women in front of the camera and behind. That was a big appeal and probably a big reason that I was such a fan of the show, because it’s not only fabulous entertainment, but it hits all the right notes.
Q: Does having a predominantly female cast and creative team create a different atmosphere on set?
Davis: It does. The more diverse a group is, the more creative, successful and productive it is. They’ve done research that companies with more women on the board make more money. ... And there’s definitely a different vibe when it’s mostly women. I always say men don’t know what we’re like when we’re alone. It’s really, really true.
Q: What drew you to Sandy as a character?
Davis: It’s just a great, fun character, and she’s inspirational to the girls on the team because she was in show business and then carved a career out for herself in management. So she’s an example of what life can be after.
Q: In one episode, Ruth and Debbie decide to swap wrestling personas, Zoya the Destroya and Liberty Belle. Is there another character from your past films that you wish you could’ve played?
Davis: When I first read “Thelma & Louise,” I thought I should play Louise. I was convinced of that. My acting coach said, “You’re getting to a place in your career where you should be the more mature character,” but we were wrong. The second I met Susan Sarandon, I was like, “Well, obviously, she should play Louise and I should be Thelma,” because our relationship was just like that instantly.
Q: In “This Changes Everything,” Chloe Grace Moretz recounts an appalling anecdote about a director leaving bra padding in her trailer for her when she was just 16. Do you recall any similar experiences as a young actress?
Davis: I was auditioning for a part where in one scene, my character was going to be sitting on the lap of the male character. The director said, “Just act the scene out with me,” and made me sit on his lap . ... I didn’t want to do it, and I was very uncomfortable, but I didn’t know you could say no.