Imagine getting acting pointers from a Hollywood icon. UNC Greensboro theatre students did just that on Saturday evening during a masterclass just hours before Geena Davis appeared for her public appearance as part of UNCG’s University Concert and Lecture Series (UCLS).
Professor Michael Flannery’s Acting for the Camera students attended the class, and some were able to show their reels and get tips from Davis, an Academy Award Winner.
“It was a special treat to hear someone who has won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe respond to the work being done in our acting classes at UNCG,” said Flannery. “Geena was incredibly kind and generous to share her knowledge and experience with the UNCG School of Theatre community. Her comments were insightful, helpful, and most of all, encouraging. It says a lot about UNCG, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the School of Theatre that we have a program that allows our students access to the best in our business.”
Davis received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the offbeat dog trainer Muriel Pritchett in Lawrence Kasdan’s “The Accidental Tourist.” She was again nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance in Ridley Scott’s “Thelma & Louise,” in which she co-starred with Susan Sarandon. Davis went on to receive a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of baseball phenomenon Dottie Hinson in “A League of Their Own.”
Earning the 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama, Davis broke ground in her portrayal of the first female President of the United States in ABC’s hit show “Commander in Chief.”
Davis spoke to the UCLS audience about her advocacy for gender equity in media and about the influence that television and movies have on young people, especially females, on what they can achieve.
Next in the UCLS series is internationally-recognized Grammy and Tony Award-winning actor and singer Daveed Diggs. Diggs originated the role of Thomas Jefferson in the original cast of Broadway’s “Hamilton” and has a recurring role on television’s “Black-ish.”
Diggs will be in the UNCG Auditorium on Saturday night, March 5, and will offer a masterclass to UNCG students earlier that day. Tickets to the public performance are still available at ucls.uncg.edu.
Story by Eden Bloss, University Communications
Photography and videography by Martin W. Kane, University Communications
