She Faced Death at 8 — Now She’s One of Hollywood’s Most Influential Figures

“It was hopeless if you were taller than everybody else,” she told The View, recalling how classmates gave her unkind nicknames, a painful reminder that simply existing outside expectations could make someone a target.

Despite the teasing, Davis found outlets that grounded her — music through the flute in the marching band, track and field events like high jump and hurdles, and even a formative semester studying abroad in Sweden, where she became fluent in the language.

These experiences helped her navigate an early life that swung between feeling different and finding her own strengths.

From Modeling to Hollywood: A Bold Leap

After graduating from high school, Davis enrolled in New England College before transferring to Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, where she studied drama and graduated in 1979. Continue reading…