Co-founder of PatMa Productions, PatMa Productions
mPower Moments: Forging New Paths with Nina Tassler and Geena Davis
mPower Founder Marcia M. Davies sits down with Nina Tassler, Advisor and Former Chairman, CBS Entertainment and ...
About Nina Tassler
Nina Tassler, co-founder of PatMa Productions, has been active in discussions about gender equality in media and community service. In a December 2024 conversation with Geena Davis, Tassler described the approach of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media as a partnership that presented data and research to networks, calling it a "business opportunity" that "can create revenue" and "new buyers." She attributed the resulting "systemic change" to "collaboration and coalition building." Tassler also spoke about her own career path, noting that she "came from the theater," worked as a receptionist at a talent agency, and later rose to become chairman of CBS Entertainment. Tassler has also been involved with Jewish Family Service LA, receiving the Susie Forer-Dehrey Spirit of Humanity Award in December 2023. She said she was "drawn to the organization because it is a large social safety net organization that helps people who are going through all sorts of challenges in life." In a separate 2023 interview, Tassler discussed her book "What I Told My Daughter," explaining that she wrote it after realizing a book of real experiences for mothers did not exist. She described the book as a compilation of "personal narratives rather than platitudes or a how-to."
Transcript (9 segments)
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Host0:10
I'm here stage side with Nina Tassler and Geena Davis. We just finished a great Empower session and we're here to share a little bit of the highlights with you. Thank you ladies for being here. Thank you, Geena. We are about ready to have 20 years of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender Equality in Media. What was the inspiration for you to start such an institute?
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Geena Davis0:38
It was actually my daughter. When she was about two years old, I realized we could start watching little kids' shows, preschool shows. So I sat her down and picked the first show we were going to watch. Within five minutes, I was thinking, how many female characters are there in this show made for the littlest kids? There was only one female character. So I started seeing it everywhere. In a video we would rent or little kids' things we watched, it seemed like there were far more male characters than female characters. I knew that what we see as a culture is very imbalanced, but I had no idea that in the 21st century we would be showing kids this imbalance from the very beginning, thus creating unconscious bias from minute one. I didn't intend for it to take over my life, but it eventually did. I decided I wanted to get the data to see if I was right, but then thinking I could go directly to creators since I'm in the industry and share it with them in a friendly and private way, and that would have an impact. It turned out that it really did, because people making kids' entertainment love kids and want to do right by them, and they weren't aware of the extent of the problem until they had the data.
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Host2:22
And Nina, we've talked about Geena's approach when she would go into these boardrooms and conference rooms. I remember you telling me, Geena, that this is something we can make an impact in immediately. It wasn't going to take decades and convincing a lot of different organizations. You just needed to talk to the people involved in making films and the shows. You said part of why it was so successful and the impact has been so significant is because of Geena's approach. Tell us a little about that.
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Nina Tassler2:58
100%. There was a style. First of all, they had comprehensive data. They had concluded a series of research and data. Those are facts, not opinions, they're facts. Geena and executives at her organization came in very informally and said, 'Here's the data, here's the research,' and they came in as partners. They came in with ideas, creative solutions. Because Geena has stature and credibility in our industry beyond virtually any other star or celebrity, and she came in with a personal approach, because as she explained, the genesis for the institute came from a very personal experience. So her approach was, 'We're in this together. We are mothers, we are fathers, we are daughters, we are sisters.' And by the way, where I'm sitting at a network, I'm thinking this is a business opportunity. This can create revenue, new buyers, so much opportunity. So stylistically, her approach with the data and saying, 'We're not just coming to see you in this moment. We're here for you. You can come back, contact us. We can help you solve problems. We can do this together in partnership.' The results have been systemic change. Yes, collaboration and coalition building. It has made such an impact.
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Host5:07
I'm going to ask you this question because people may not know that the two of you have been best friends since your freshman year in college, were roommates, and have spent decades loving and supporting each other. What is Geena's superpower?
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Nina Tassler5:25
First of all, I think she's the most talented person on the planet. She has an enormous heart. There is a quality that she has. She's brilliant; we're starting with brilliant left brain, right brain member of MENSA genius. But an incredible skill she has is she can take a big concept, a big idea, a complicated thought, and distill it down, analyze it, and talk one-on-one with somebody about it in a way that you think, 'Yeah, that makes perfect sense.' And when she talks to you, you feel like you are the only person in the room, which is extraordinary. That's a very rare quality. But her ability to synthesize and wrap her mind around complicated thoughts and share that with someone, and help them understand it, that's a great superpower.
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Host6:45
Geena, what's Nina's superpower?
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Geena Davis6:47
You do that too, by the way—make people feel like they're the only person in the room. You really have that quality. People just love talking to you. You're so great. But it's your passion for things. I think she is so alive, so positive and hopeful, and really believes in change and affecting change. The power that she can use, her tremendous force of personality and vision, really brings about change. She's a force of nature.
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Host7:32
Well, I am so thankful that the two of you could spend just a few minutes with us. I know you have a lot going on. But what I really want people who watch this Empower moment to know is that they know you as the actress and the amazing actress that they are, and they know you as this executive who made it all the way to the top, has your own production company. But today, they understand the impact, the depth of the work that you're doing. These two powerful women, not only through friendship and love, but you're taking charge of Hollywood and entertainment and making it a better place. You're doing that work that's your passion. I am so grateful that you could spend some time, and we can all learn from your friendship and your drive for gender equality. That's wonderful. Thank you very much.