Geena Davis tells how she supposedly rejected Jack Nicholson’s sexual approaches by referencing some words of wisdom from her co-star in Tootsie, Dustin Hoffman.
The 66-year-old Oscar winner revealed in an article published on Thursday by The New Yorker that she picked up some valuable acting tips from the 85-year-old veteran actor after being cast opposite him in a romantic comedy in 1982.
Hoffman supposedly advised the inexperienced actress to reply, “Well, you’re beautiful,” to men in the industry who were too eager to get with her because of her looks. I wish I could, but it would kill the chemistry we share.
She stated to the publication she would keep that piece of advice for later. When Davis got the role of April Page in Tootsie, she was a New York-based Victoria’s Secret lingerie model hoping to get into the theater.
She claimed that she and a couple of other actors/models were sent to Hollywood by their modeling agent shortly after the film’s release. Davis revealed that Nicholson, 85, “had supper” with the rising star and her contemporaries every night since her agent became aware of him.
Davis remembers finding a note under the door from Jack Nicholson’s assistant with a phone number on it one day. She called up the Shining star in shock and disbelief, saying she couldn’t believe it. Greetings, Mr. Nicholson! Geena is a model, and here she is! Are you calling me? Hey, Geena, he greeted her. When is this going to occur? What she said
The reported questioning caught Davis off guard. And I was all like, “Oh, no, why didn’t I think this is what it was going to be about?” as she revealed to the New Yorker. But, unfortunately, the words “uh, Jack, I would love to” popped into my thoughts very instantly. You have a lot of visual appeals. But I get the impression that we’ll be working together in the not-too-distant future, and I’d hate to have deflated the sexual tension by saying or doing something inappropriate.
