“There’s no crying in baseball!” More than 20 years later, Geena Davis is still proud of the impact A League of Their Own has left on viewers young and old.
While speaking with Us Weekly exclusively on Wednesday, October 28, the Oscar winner, 64, reflected on the legacy of the 1992 sports comedy — and revealed that she has the perfect plan for a follow-up film. In August, Amazon ordered a reboot series starring D’Arcy Carden and Abbi Jacobson, but Davis’ idea would put an entirely new spin on the original.
“I have an idea for a sequel. I’m trying to see if I can happen before I’m too old,” Davis joked. “It would be called Little League of Their Own. The woman that my character is based on in that movie, her son grew up to be a major-league ballplayer. I’m sure it was her that taught him how to play.”
The Massachusetts native starred alongside Tom Hanks, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, Lori Petty and more in the Penny Marshall-directed flick. Based on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which existed between 1943 and 1954, the movie tells the story of the all-female Rockford Peaches as they battle their way to the World Series. The empowering movie quickly became a hit — and has meant just as much to its stars as it has to its fans.
“I loved it and I hoped people would like it,” Davis told Us, admitting that she “didn’t know at the time” that the movie would hold such a special place in viewers’ hearts. “I didn’t realize what a nerve it would strike and that it would last this long … At that time, people didn’t really think about videos or DVDs or whatever, you know, movies came and went. But they live forever now, so it’s a whole different experience.”
The Thelma & Louise star is still close with her fellow Rockford Peaches to this day, revealing that she and her costars are “always all still in touch.” Earlier this year, Davis told The Hollywood Reporter that working with Hanks, 64, was “one of the great joys of my life,” teasing that the cast never thought twice about how “he was the only guy on the team.”
“My first impression of Tom was that he’s funny as hell, up for anything and ready to go, at all times,” she added. “Tom’s talent is unlimited and truly breathtaking when you look at the great variety of characters he’s played throughout his career. … No level of fame could impact his innate warmth and generosity. He’s just that guy.”
Throughout her impressive career, Davis transformed into a timeless Hollywood star. However, she’s noticed that opportunities for women in the industry dwindle as they age, which is why she’s partnered with TENA to launch the Ageless Test.
“For people who are living their lives past 50 … it’s completely different than how we portray it [in movies],” the Beetlejuice star explained. “It’s enough to try to overcome barriers in your own life, but to have it be projected for everyone in the popular media that women over 50 don’t matter … it’s really tragic.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
