Geena Davis is an accomplished actress who has received major awards for her work in film, including both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. She first gained recognition for her performance in Tootsie, opposite Dustin Hoffman, and soon after became a widely successful actress who fought for gender equality in Hollywood. Indeed, in 2007, she launched the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, which a non-profit organization that focuses its research on gender representation and inclusivity in all aspects of media. An extension of her work with the Insitute, Davis also founded the Bentonville Film Festival in 2015, which uplifts underrepresented filmmakers.

As an actress, Davis has starred in some of the most iconic roles in films, which are now part of film history. Through her work, she has championed women representation onscreen, bringing to life nuanced portraits of different women and women narratives. From Beetlejuice to Thelma & Louise, here are her best movies, ranked.

7 Beetlejuice

     The Geffen Company

Beetlejuice was released in 1998 and was a massive success when it was released. Since then, it has remained a cult classic and is still rewatched to this day. Beetlejuice was directed by Tim Burton, and Davis stars alongside Alec Baldwin as the Maitlands, a couple who die after crashing off a bridge and who enlist the help of Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to help them out. It’s a gothic classic that remains a classic in Burton’s filmography.

6 A League of Their Own

     Parkway Productions

5 Tootsie

     Columbia Pictures

Tootsie was Davis’ on-screen debut and was a huge success at the box office. The film was directed by Sydney Pollack, who also stars, and also features performances by Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange. The film focuses on Michael (Hoffman), who decides that he should audition for a soap opera as a woman and remain in character throughout. Davis plays one of the soap’s crewmembers, April, and it’s overall an enjoyable movie.

4 The Accidental Tourist

     Warner Bros.

The Accidental Tourist saw Davis win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film was directed by Lawrence Kasdan, and centers around the end of a marriage following the murder of their son. Davis received widespread acclaim for her role as Muriel, who becomes involved in a complicated relationship.

3 This Changes Everything

     CCV Studios

Davis appears in the documentary This Changes Everything, which she also produced. The film was directed by Tim Donahue and features appearances by Donahue and Davis, who are joined by Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Shonda Rhimes, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Jessica Chastain, among other Hollywood greats. The gender inequality in the film and TV industry is examined, and it’s a great watch that emphasizes Davis campaign for something she is passionate about.

2 The Fly

     20th Century Fox

The Fly has become a beloved cult Hollywood film, however, this was still a very early entry in Davis’ filmography at the time of release. The film tells the story of a scientist (Jeff Goldblum) working on a creation that can transport matter, however, the experiment goes wrong, and a human’s genes are mixed with a fly’s, resulting in a monstrous creation. The Fly has remained a cult classic and is still a hit amongst body horror fans today.

1 Thelma & Louise

     Pathé

Thelma & Louise is a beloved film that was directed by Ridley Scott, and sees Davis co-star with Susan Sarandon as best friends who take a cross-country adventure and become involved with serious crime. Davis is Thelma and Sarandon is Louise; their chemistry is perfect and the film remains a cult classic, which is constantly referenced in pop culture as one of the greatest movies about women friendship.