Geena Davis
Summary
Jesse Thorn interviews actress Geena Davis about founding the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media to combat sexism in entertainment. Davis discusses her research revealing severe underrepresentation of women, particularly in children's media, and her strategy of collaborating with studios to improve diversity. She also shares personal stories about overcoming self-doubt, her near-Olympic archery career, and the impact of her iconic roles.
Topics discussed
Intro and Gina Davis Institute on Gender in Media
Origins of the Institute and industry denial
Gender ratios in crowd scenes and structural issues
Parenting, media literacy, and working with Nickelodeon
Stagnant progress in guild statistics since 1946
Navigating male directors and learning assertiveness
Childhood shyness, height, and fashion choices
Early career, modeling, and first role in Tootsie
Becoming a movie star and public recognition
Impact of Thelma & Louise and League of Their Own
Olympic archery training and overcoming negative self-talk
Measurable success in archery vs. subjective acting
Bentonville Film Festival and episode outro
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