You probably know Geena Davis as the badass outlaw in Thelma & Louise or the powerhouse catcher in A League of Their Own. Maybe you remember her as the first female President on Commander in Chief. But before the Oscars and the Olympic archery trials, there was a catalog. A very specific, very famous lingerie catalog.
The Geena Davis Victoria Secret model connection isn’t just some weird trivia fact; it’s actually the reason she has a film career at all. Honestly, if it wasn’t for a few "perfectly lit" photos in a 1981 catalog, she might never have stood in a dressing room with Dustin Hoffman.
From Living Mannequin to Lingerie Layouts
Geena didn’t just wake up and decide to be a supermodel. She’s six feet tall. In high school, she felt like a giant. After graduating from Boston University with a drama degree, she headed to New York, like everyone else, hoping to act. But acting jobs weren’t exactly falling out of the sky.
She ended up working at Ann Taylor. Most people would just fold sweaters. Not Geena. She noticed a window display with an empty chair and asked her boss if she could sit in it. She realized she had this "uncanny ability" to stay perfectly still. She became a "living mannequin." People would gather on the sidewalk just to see if she was real.
That weird talent got her noticed. She eventually signed with the Zoli agency.
Then came the Victoria’s Secret gig. This was 1981. The brand wasn't the global "Angel" behemoth it is now. It was a boutique catalog business. Geena wasn't walking a runway with $10 million wings; she was posing for the mail-order fans.
How the Catalog Saved Her First Audition
Here’s the part that sounds like a movie script. Sydney Pollack was casting for Tootsie. He needed someone to play April, the soap opera actress who shares a dressing room with Dustin Hoffman’s character. Because the character was often in her underwear, the casting directors decided to look at modeling agencies.
✨ Don't miss: Weslie Fowler Biological Father: What Most People Get Wrong
They wanted "models who could act."
Geena went to the audition. They told her to wear a swimsuit under her clothes. She did. She read her lines. She thought it went okay, but they never asked to see the swimsuit. She figured she blew it.
"I put it completely out of my mind," she later told NPR.
She hopped on a plane to Paris for fashion week. While she was walking runways in Europe, Pollack was back in New York looking at her tape. He loved her. But there was a problem: he didn't have a photo of her in her underwear to see if she fit the "look" of the role.
Since she was thousands of miles away, her agency did the only thing they could. They sent over the Victoria’s Secret catalog.
Those photos—windblown hair, perfect lighting, the whole 80s aesthetic—convinced Pollack on the spot. She got the part without a second interview.
🔗 Read more: Benjamin Keough Cause of Death: The Heavy Burden of a Legend's Name
Breaking the "Model-Turned-Actress" Stigma
Back in the early 80s, being a "model-turned-actress" was basically a kiss of death for your credibility. People assumed you were just a pretty face who couldn't handle dialogue. Geena knew this.
She used her height and that "mannequin" stillness to her advantage. She wasn't just a Geena Davis Victoria Secret model; she was a trained actor who happened to look great in a catalog.
Working on Tootsie was a masterclass. She famously credited Dustin Hoffman for teaching her how to handle the industry. He told her never to sleep with her co-stars and gave her a specific line to use when men made advances: "I’m flattered, but I’m afraid I’d ruin the chemistry we have on screen."
It worked. She kept her head down, worked hard, and within six years of that catalog shoot, she was holding an Academy Award for The accidental Tourist.
The Legacy of the 1981 Catalog
It’s kind of wild to think about. If that catalog hadn't existed, or if the Zoli agency hadn't had it on hand, would we even know who Geena Davis is?
Maybe. She’s a member of Mensa and a world-class archer, so she’s clearly driven. But the Victoria’s Secret job was the literal bridge.
Today, she spends most of her time running the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. She’s focused on making sure girls see themselves on screen in roles that aren't just "the girlfriend" or "the model."
She’s gone from being the girl in the lingerie catalog to the woman making sure the next generation doesn't have to rely on a swimsuit photo to get their big break.
Why This Matters for Aspiring Creatives
Geena’s path offers some pretty solid lessons that aren't just fluff:
✨ Don't miss: Is Bruce Willis Married? What Most People Get Wrong About His Current Status
- Own your "weird" skills. That living mannequin thing seemed ridiculous, but it got her in the door.
- Use every asset. She wanted to be a serious actor, but she didn't turn up her nose at a lingerie catalog. She used it as a tool to get where she wanted to go.
- The "First Audition" Myth. Most people think you need 500 rejections before a win. Geena got Tootsie on her very first try. Sometimes, you’re just the right person at the right time.
If you’re looking to follow a similar "unconventional" path, your next move should be auditing your own "useless" talents. Whether it's a niche hobby or a weird physical trait, those are often the things that make you stand out in a crowded market. Stop trying to fit the standard mold and start leaning into the things that make people stop and stare—even if it's just through a store window.