Considered one of the greatest feminist films ever made in Hollywood, ‘Thelma & Louise’ turned 30 this year. The 1991 critically acclaimed road trip movie gave birth to two iconic movie characters: Louise Elizabeth Sawyer, played by Susan Sarandon, and Thelma Yvonne Dickinson, played by Geena Davis.
Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as Louise and Thelma in their iconic road trip scene from the 1991 film Thelma & Louise (Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
With men dominating the film industry in the late ‘80s, casting two women in the leading roles was a brave step.
Despite some controversies and accusations of portraying a negative perception of men at its release, the movie became a commercial success. It received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Actress for Susan and Geena.
Screenwriter Callie Khouri stands in front of a poster for the iconic 1991 film Thelma & Louise on August 25, 2011 (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Instar / WENN)
Screenwriter Callie Khouri, who drew inspiration from her experience and friendship with country music singer Pam Tillis, won Best Original Screenplay.
It was in the spring of 1988 when she came up with an idea for the story and she spent the following six months writing it. “Out of nowhere, I thought, ‘Two women go on a crime spree.’ That one sentence! I felt the character arcs—I saw the whole movie, I saw, in a flash, where those women started and where they ended up,” Callie told Vanity Fair.
“Through a series of accidents, they would go from being invisible to being too big for their world to contain because they’d stopped cooperating with things that were absolutely preposterous, and just became themselves,” she added.
Casting Thelma & Louise: How Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon Landed Their Iconic Roles
According to reports, Michelle Pfeiffer and Jodie Foster were initially chosen for the lead roles but were forced to drop out as the pre-production dragged on. Jodie went on to star in Silence of the Lambs and Michelle in Love Field.
Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn were also offered to play the roles, but they decided to do Death Becomes Her.
Meanwhile, Geena Davis told Vanity Fair she had been eyeing the lead role for nearly a year. “I had my agent call Ridley every week for almost a year.”
Geena Davis exudes elegance in a black lace off-the-shoulder dress paired with delicate pearl drop earrings at a special screening of Thelma & Louise on January 28, 2020 (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Instar / WENN)
A director friend of her then-husband, Jeff Goldblum, got her the script after it had already been cast.
And after reading it, she said she wanted to be in the movie. “I just knew I wanted to play one of those parts—I didn’t much care which one. I was always attracted to characters who are in charge of their own fate.”
Although she wanted to play Louise, Geena was signed to portray either part, and the final decision would depend on who would play the other.
Susan Sarandon looks effortlessly chic in a classic black blazer paired with a white blouse, accentuated by a striking gold brooch at the special screening of Thelma & Louise (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Instar / WENN)
Ridley Scott later sent Susan Sarandon’s agent a copy of the script. During their meeting, he knew that Susan would play Louise.
After seeing Susan at the meeting, Geena accepted Thelma’s role. “The second Susan walked in the room, I was, ‘Are you kidding that I could play Louise?’ Susan was so self-possessed, so centered and together.”
The Age Difference: How Old Were Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis During Filming?
Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis capture a joyful moment together in a memorable scene from the 1991 film Thelma & Louise (Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Thelma and Louise were intended to be high school friends of the same age. However, Susan Sarandon was 43 years old when principal photography for Thelma & Louise began in June 1990. Born on October 4, 1946, in New York City, Susan turned 44 seven months before the film’s release on May 20, 1991.
In contrast, Geena Davis, who is ten years younger than Susan, was 34 when filming commenced. She celebrated her 35th birthday on January 21, 1991.
Filming Locations: Where Was Thelma & Louise Shot?
Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in their roles as Thelma and Louise, standing confidently on their 1966 Ford Thunderbird in an iconic scene from the 1991 film Thelma & Louise (Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Set in a fictional route between Arkansas and the Grand Canyon, filming for the movie took place in rural areas in Bakersfield, California, and Moab, Utah.
The ending scene, where they drove their 1966 Ford Thunderbird off the Grand Canyon, was shot at the Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah.
Recent Projects: What Are Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon Up to Now?
Geena was last seen on the big screen in the 2020 action thriller Ava, where she played Bobbi, the mother of Jessica Chastain’s character.
In 2019, she was introduced as Sandy Devereaux St. Clair in the third season of the Netflix comedy-drama series, GLOW.
Geena Davis wears Romona Keveža plunging gown at the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9, 2020 (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Instar / WENN)
On the other hand, Susan appeared as a guest star in the thriller series Search Party this year.
Susan Sarandon goes shopping in denim overalls and a floral moto jacket in Soho on March 7, 2021 (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Instar / WENN)
The 74-year-old actress was recently spotted doing a solo shopping trip in Soho. She looked chic in denim overalls worn underneath a floral-embroidered black moto jacket.
The mom-of-three styled the look further with a red cap and a matching red face mask to help slow down the spread of coronavirus.
Susan Sarandon teams her chic outfit with Cole Haan ZeroGrand Overtake sneakers (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Instar / WENN)
Susan wore polka dot socks and a pair of Cole Haan “ZeroGrand Overtake” sneakers in deep mahogany.
For $140 at Cole Haan, these water-resistant leather and mesh shoes feature the brand’s cushioned GrandFoam footbed, an internal mesh bootie, and a rubber outsole with rubber pods for grip and durability.
The ZeroGrand Overtake shoes feature the label’s GrandFoam footbed with an internal mesh bootie for comfort
You can also get these all-terrain shoes in black/misty rose colorway for $170 at Zappos.
Cole Haan’s all-terrain ZeroGrand Overtake also comes in a black and misty rose colorway