{FOF Woman of The Week} Geena Davis
Few of us have a resumé that reads: “Oscar-winning actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and Olympic archery team semi-finalist.” Except if you’re Geena Davis. Modeling and acting since 1982, 58-year-old Geena has received countless awards for her work on screen and accomplished a great deal of impactful work off screen. Intensely interested in the subject of gender bias, she chairs The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and also works with other visionaries and activists to improve the lives of women around the world.
Speaking at a conference last week, Geena asked the audience: “What if unconscious gender bias is a much deeper problem than we’ve ever imagined?” She pointed out that the ratio of female to male characters in TV and film hasn’t changed since 1946, and that men hold for 81 percent of the roles on TV. She is intent on reversing these shocking statistics.
Next month, Geena will serve on the jury of the New York International Children’s Film Festival.
Married since 2001 to Reza Jarrahy, a plastic surgeon, Geena and her husband have three children. One of the shining examples of a woman who can channel her vast talents and passions into a range of relevant projects and compelling performances, Geena is FOF Woman of the Week!