Actor Christopher McDonald has spoken candidly about the heartbreak he experienced when his then-fiancée Geena Davis ended their engagement to pursue a relationship with actor Jeff Goldblum in 1985.
McDonald, 71, discussed the painful period during a sit-down with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, recalling that he and Davis were engaged for approximately five weeks before she fell in love with Goldblum while working on their first film together in Europe. "I was broken," McDonald stated.
The film in question was the 1985 comedy "Transylvania 6-5000," starring Davis and Goldblum. McDonald learned of the broken engagement from his fellow actor Ed Begley Jr., who delivered the news while McDonald was still committed to a three-week engagement on a production of "Hamlet," where he was playing Laertes.
"I mean I was really, really devastated," McDonald reiterated.
Later, in 1991, McDonald and Davis worked together again on "Thelma & Louise," with McDonald playing Davis's husband. He recounted that his casting came as a surprise to Davis, who had reportedly not been informed of his involvement when director Ridley Scott cast him. "[Davis] said to [director Ridley Scott], ‘Who’d you get to play my husband?’ and he said, ‘Oh, you’ll love him, he’s tall, he’s funny, uh … what’s his name? Chris McDonald,’ and then she said, ‘I used to go with him,’ and he said, ‘Even better, perfect!’"
McDonald shared an anecdote about awkwardly asking Davis to lunch the next day, and that he and his ex-fiancée ultimately "hugged it out."
Davis and Goldblum married in 1987 but divorced three years later. Davis has been married four times, including to restaurateur Richard Emmolo, director Renny Harlin, and pediatric plastic surgeon Dr. Reza Jarrahy, with whom she has three children. McDonald married actress Lupe Gidley in 1992, and they have four children together.