Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum shocked everyone over the age of 45 when they stepped onto the stage together at the SAG Awards on Saturday night. However, Gen Z and younger Millennials were not fazed one bit because they had no idea that the dynamic duo used to be married to each other. You have to go way back into the Hollywood gossip archives to 1987.
Davis and Goldblum met on the set of a rather forgettable 1985 film, Transylvania 6-5000, but a romance blossomed from there. They were both on the heels of a divorce — her from restaurateur Richard Emmolo and him from actress Patricia Gaul. The chemistry was immediate, and the timing was perfect for love to come back into their lives. “[Our relationship] was joyful. It really was. That was a magical chapter in my life,” Davis told People in 2022.
Their relationship continued on and off-screen as they starred together in the box-office hit, The Fly, which turned them instantly into one of Hollywood’s biggest red-carpet power couples. She adored being married to “somebody who knows exactly what you’re going through” and “was not in competition” with her. And Goldblum had equally lovely things to say about his then-wife to GQ, via Hollywood Cheat Sheet. “Geena made love, falling in love, so easy. She’s purely loving, beguiling – irresistible,” he gushed. “Steps would be taken gradually sometimes, and sometimes it swept along. And, of course, I’m wildly attracted to her.”
Sadly, the union only lasted until 1990, and the former couple has never given a concrete reason for their split — they cited the usual “irreconcilable differences.” In 1991, Davis did give a small glimpse into what happened at the end of their marriage — and we mean small. “I’m sure we’re both pretty sad. We certainly had high hopes, every good intention. It’s upsetting,” she said to People, while that the public’s perception of their marriage was very different from what was happening behind closed doors. “Other people’s perceptions are that it’s just perfect, he’s the funniest guy. This is not a reflection on Jeff. I mean, it can apply equally to me. We were a normal couple and had all kinds of experiences. We weren’t sitting around just laughing all day, putting on shows for each other.”
But here we are 34 years after their divorce, and the telegenic pair still have that same chemistry. As one X user summed up, “Whoever decided to pair exes Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis as presenters deserves a substantial raise.” We love to be nostalgic about a former Hollywood power couple.
Before you go, click here to see all the celebrity couples who met on set.
Leave a Comment