ABC/Ida Mae Astute(NEW YORK) — Next month will mark 25 years since Thelma & Louise debuted on the silver screen, but today, pop culture’s most notorious BFFs remain as beloved as ever.
The 1991 film’s Oscar-winning actresses — Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis — recently spoke with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, and revealed some little-known facts about the groundbreaking film.
“When I read the script I said, ‘I have to be in this movie,’” Davis said. “It was so rare to find a script with two incredibly well-drawn female characters, but none of us had any idea…had any clue that it would strike. We were hoping people would see it because it was a small budget [film.]”
The movie — written by Callie Khouri, who won an Oscar for the screenplay — follows the journey of Thelma Dickinson and Louise Sayer, after the latter shoots and kills a man who attacks Thelma, and they embark on a trip to Mexico. Pursued by police, the film ends with the pair intentionally driving off a cliff and plummenting into the Grand Canyon, killing themselves but regaining control of their shared destiny.
According to Sarandon, however, that now-famous and much-discussed ending wasn’t the original plan for director Ridley Scott.
“He said, ‘I know [Louise] will definitely die, I’m not sure about [Thelma],’” Sarandon recalled. “He said, ‘You might push her out at the last minute’ but actually, we only had one take.”
Davis said, “I think the ending is exactly how it should be because we get away. Despite the fact that we kill ourselves, we retain control of our lives to the bitter end.”
An alternate ending wasn’t the only secret they revealed. George Clooney had read for the part of J.D., but lost it to Brad Pitt, Davis confirmed.
“I was on a plane with George Clooney by happenstance, and we’re chatting, and he goes, ‘I hate that Brad Pitt’ and I said, ‘No you don’t, he’s your friend’ and he says, ‘No, I hate him because he got the part in Thelma & Louise…” she said.
Sarandon says she hopes Thelma & Louise is used to raise awareness about violence against women.
“I hope now, that women don’t have to get off a cliff,” Sarandon said. “They don’t get to the point where that’s the option and so many women are speaking up and supporting other women and rape and domestic abuse is now no longer such a secret — so I would hope in 25 years we don’t have to send people over the edge when something like that happens.”
Chimed in, Davis: “I’m with her.”
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