With ‘The Boroughs’ and Coachella, Geena Davis plays in a league of her own

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I have to tell you, seeing Geena Davis react to Coachella was a moment. She literally exclaimed “Coachella!” and then, completely overwhelmed, rested her head on the table. When she looked up, her face was absolutely radiant – a wide-eyed, genuine “Oh my God!” It was clear the festival had a real impact on her.

The experienced actress was still thrilled by the enthusiastic reaction to her surprise appearance a few weeks ago, when she joined headliner Sabrina Carpenter on stage during the second weekend of the well-known music festival.

The crowd went wild when they saw Davis appear on the big screens, pretending to be an older version of her character from a funny scene set at a drive-in movie. The scene was also a fun nod to her famous 1991 film, “Thelma & Louise.”

“The reaction really blew my mind,” Davis said. “I didn’t expect to suddenly be trending!”

She beamed as she enthusiastically began discussing her new Netflix series, “The Boroughs.” The show follows the residents of a luxurious retirement community who must work together when a strange force starts threatening their neighbors’ lives.

The show stars Davis as Renee, a community center volunteer who secretly longs for a fight. She bluntly states her desire to take down opponents, saying, “I want to fight and win!” This sets the stage for what she calls “the gray rebellion.”

She described the project as beautifully written and particularly praised the cast, noting it featured experienced actors like Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman.

When things calm down, Renee begins a relationship with Paz, a police officer who is clearly attracted to her, despite the age difference.

During a recent interview at Netflix’s Hollywood offices, 70-year-old Danny DeVito was energetic and lively, sharing funny stories and seeming genuinely happy about a new, promising chapter in his career. When someone suggested his recent roles in ‘The Boroughs’ and a Coachella appearance might signal a ‘DeVito-ssance,’ he quickly corrected them.

“It’s a Geena-sance,” she said, adding quickly, “Although I guess Davis-sance is good as well.”

“The Boroughs” features the latest addition to Davis’s collection of powerful and determined women, a theme consistently present throughout her work.

Geena Davis first gained attention playing a role in the popular 1982 comedy “Tootsie.” She then won an Academy Award for her performance as an unusual dog trainer in the 1988 film “The Accidental Tourist.” Following these successes, she appeared in a wide range of movies and television shows, including the short-lived sitcom “The Geena Davis Show” in 2000. Her leading roles in memorable films like “Thelma & Louise,” “A League of Their Own,” and “Beetlejuice” quickly established her as one of Hollywood’s most talented and adaptable actresses.

Alongside her acting success, Geena Davis champions inclusive representation in media. Through her Geena Davis Institute, she works with film and television companies to reduce hidden biases and ensure diverse portrayals of people based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, and body type.

Davis feels incredibly fortunate to have played such a diverse range of roles throughout her career. She’s portrayed everything from a baseball star in ‘A League of Their Own’ to an assassin with memory loss in ‘The Long Kiss Goodbye,’ a parent to a mouse in ‘Stuart Little,’ a ghost in ‘Beetlejuice,’ the President on ‘Commander in Chief,’ and even a pirate captain in ‘Cutthroat Island.’

She explained that she quickly realized she didn’t want to only play supporting roles, like just being the girlfriend. She wanted to be involved in the action and interesting parts of stories, and she’s worked hard to avoid being limited to those kinds of roles.

Establishing those boundaries both impressed the show’s creators and helped her grow as a person and an artist.

She was amazed to be cast as roles like presidents or gifted athletes. These characters were capable of things she hadn’t yet achieved herself. For example, she didn’t know how to play baseball when she made ‘A League of Their Own,’ but she had to convincingly portray someone who was a talented player.

I really enjoy pushing myself physically. I’ve trained in a lot of different skills – everything from sword fighting and ice skating to shooting and martial arts like taekwondo, plus horseback riding. It feels like preparing to play a different character, and it actually influences who I am as a person.

She leaned forward as she noted that Renee fits snugly with her repertory of tenacious roles.

Davis explained that she immediately connected with her character, Renee. She admired Renee’s strength and fearlessness, admitting she even looked up to her. Davis appreciated that Renee was assertive and didn’t put up with anything, and she especially related to Renee’s feeling of embracing life and staying active – something Davis herself was eager to experience through the role.

Davis was especially drawn to the idea of a show focused on characters his age. He described it as a truly special project, explaining that while it might seem like the show is about older people, that wasn’t how it felt to the cast. He praised Netflix’s commitment, noting their enthusiastic support and their choice not to highlight the characters’ age – they simply let it be.

If you notice similarities between “The Boroughs” and the popular Netflix series “Stranger Things,” you’re right to think so. Both shows share a creative connection: the Duffer Brothers, who created “Stranger Things,” are also executive producers on “The Boroughs.”

When Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews created the character of Renee for their show, “The Boroughs,” they specifically envisioned actress Sharon Davis in the role. They are also the show’s executive producers.

Addiss explained that Geena was someone they’d hoped to cast from the start. He recalled that when they met with her, she was enthusiastic and expressed a desire to play a tough, action-oriented character, saying, ‘I want to be rock and roll and kill people.’

Matthews described Geena Davis’s roles as powerful and memorable, citing her performance in ‘A League of Their Own’ as an example of a character who forges her own way. He noted that while she often portrays strong and serious characters, Davis is actually a very kind, funny, and approachable person, making her ability to blend those qualities in a single scene particularly impressive.

Davis considers her role in “The Boroughs” a career highlight and is delighted that a new audience is discovering her earlier films, such as “Thelma & Louise,” which she starred in with Susan Sarandon. Sarandon also made a surprise appearance during Carpenter’s performance at Coachella’s first weekend.

The opportunity came together quickly. Davis received a call the day before the second weekend of the event and, after seeing Susan Sarandon perform, she was initially unsure if she could match the quality. However, the organizers reassured her, telling her to simply repeat Sarandon’s approach.

She was touched by Carpenter reflecting on her younger years. She described Sabrina as delightful, genuine, and captivating, and mentioned Sabrina’s show was called ‘Sabrinawood.’ As a special keepsake, Sabrina gifted her a T-shirt playfully combining their names – ‘Geenawood’ – which she deeply cherishes.

The evening became even more memorable when she reunited with Madonna, her co-star from “A League of Their Own,” who joined Carpenter on stage. “It was amazing. We even got a photo together!”

I was really struck by how much ‘Thelma & Louise’ still means to people at the event. It’s amazing to think that movie, which also gave a young Brad Pitt a big break, wasn’t just a hit with audiences and critics, but it really became a defining film for feminist ideas. It’s a movie that clearly continues to resonate with so many, and it was cool to see that acknowledged.

As a film buff, I always remember Thelma & Louise for its powerful story. It centers around Thelma, played by Davis, a quiet woman who, along with her best friend Louise (Sarandon), just needs to escape their frustrating lives for a weekend getaway. What starts as a simple fishing trip quickly becomes something much more intense when Louise is forced to shoot a man who attacks Thelma. From that moment on, they’re on the run, and the film becomes this incredible, heartbreaking chase as they become almost like folk heroes.

In a desperate attempt to avoid capture, Thelma and Louise choose to drive their convertible off a cliff. The iconic image of the car falling has become a symbol of their strong bond, and their ultimate sense of freedom. The film earned Oscar nominations for Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, and director Ridley Scott, while Callie Khouri won the Academy Award for her writing.

Davis expressed immense pride in the film, sharing that it evokes wonderful memories and had a profound impact on her life. She described being part of such a significant cultural moment as completely unexpected. She reflected on how fortunate she was to be involved in the project and to portray a character who was more developed than herself.

The film also created a lasting connection with Sarandon. Davis remembered feeling like she always had to justify her existence before sharing her opinions. Susan Sarandon showed her the person she aspired to be. Davis was struck by Sarandon’s confidence from their first meeting, wondering why she hadn’t encountered a woman who spoke her mind so freely before. Witnessing that behavior had a profound impact on her life.

Davis expressed her fondness for the film “Thelma & Louise,” sharing that it holds special memories and had a significant impact on her life. The movie was notably referenced during Sabrina Carpenter’s performance at Coachella. (Shayan Asgharnia / For The Times)

She still clearly remembers the intense backlash and criticism after “Thelma & Louise” was released, with some people claiming it was a film that opposed men.

She recalled that while the film is now highly respected, its initial release caused a huge controversy. “It was unbelievable,” she said. “We were featured on the cover of Time magazine just a week after it came out, but they published two separate articles criticizing it! They were really upset about portraying women with guns and shooting men – it caused quite a stir.”

Davis fondly remembered winning the Oscar for “The Accidental Tourist,” though a strange event briefly disrupted her calm just hours before the awards ceremony.

She recalled eating spaghetti and turning on the TV when she saw Oprah Winfrey interviewing several film critics – including Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert – about who they thought would win the Oscars. She remembered being stunned when all of them agreed she had absolutely no chance of winning the supporting actress award. She just sat there, realizing that wasn’t good. The other nominees that year were Frances McDormand for “Mississippi Burning,” Michelle Pfeiffer for “Dangerous Liaisons,” and Sigourney Weaver and Joan Cusack, both for “Working Girl.”

She paused and smiled, saying it was amazing to go from feeling completely discouraged to the excitement of winning an Oscar. “It was a wild experience,” she added.

Geena Davis says that, besides “Thelma & Louise,” she especially loved her role in “The Long Kiss Goodnight.” In the movie, she plays a seemingly ordinary schoolteacher and mother who discovers she has a hidden past as a dangerous killer. The action-packed 1991 film was directed by her ex-husband, Renny Harlin, and also starred Samuel L. Jackson as a down-on-his-luck detective.

I played two very different roles: in one, I transformed from a quiet, unassuming housewife into a tough, adventurous traveler, and in the other, from a typical homemaker who loves to bake into a skilled assassin. Both characters underwent significant personal growth. The project wasn’t very successful when it was first released, but it’s since gained a dedicated following. Samuel and I are really hoping to make a sequel.

She even looks back positively on her well-known collaboration with Harlin – the costly pirate film “Cutthroat Island.” Despite its reported $115 million budget and reputation as one of the biggest financial failures in movie history, she remains optimistic about the project.

She described the role as amazing and expressed confusion over any criticism. ‘The budget was never a concern for me,’ she added dismissively.

Geena Davis clearly feels a strong sense of accomplishment when she looks back at her work. Unlike some actors who avoid watching their own films, she’s seen all of hers many times. She even recalls repeatedly watching ‘Thelma & Louise’ and going to different screenings to observe audience reactions to its most impactful scenes. Similarly, when ‘The Fly’ premiered, her co-star and then-husband, Jeff Goldblum, attended the opening night in Times Square.

She explained that while filming “Tootsie,” Dustin Hoffman told her to review the daily footage. He advised that learning to watch herself objectively would be a valuable skill, and she began regularly watching her on-screen performances.

She’s excited about her new show, “The Boroughs,” and hopes it will become a highlight of her career. She really enjoyed making it and would love to return for another season.

Cue the Geena-sance.

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2026-05-13 13:35