Christopher McDonald and Geena Davis Turn Awkward Past Into Friendship on Thelma & Louise

Christopher McDonald and Geena Davis turned an awkward past into a lasting friendship while filming the 1991 hit Thelma & Louise.

McDonald recalled the story during a recent career retrospective hosted by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. He and Davis had been engaged for about five weeks when Davis fell in love with actor Jeff Goldblum, her co-star in Transylvania 6-5000. McDonald said he was devastated when he learned the relationship had ended.

Five years later, McDonald was cast as Darryl, the husband of Davis’ character, Thelma, in Thelma & Louise. Davis was initially surprised when director Ridley Scott told her who would play her husband.

McDonald said he called Davis the next day and invited her to lunch. The two talked, hugged and resolved their past tensions before filming began.

The reunion became even more unusual when the pair were asked to pose for wedding photographs to decorate the fictional couple’s home in the film.

McDonald said the experience helped turn them into “dear friends.” Davis later wrote about the period in her 2022 memoir, Dying of Politeness: A Memoir, and included kind words about McDonald.