Elizabeth Banks

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23 Feb 2024

Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks, born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell on February 10, 1974, is a prominent American actress and filmmaker. She gained recognition for her roles as Effie Trinket in "The Hunger Games" film series and as an ICCA commentator in the "Pitch Perfect" film series.
Banks made her directorial debut with "Pitch Perfect 2" in 2015, which set a record for the highest opening weekend gross for a first-time director. Following this success, she directed "Charlie's Angels" in 2019 and the horror comedy "Cocaine Bear" in 2023. Banks co-founded the production company Brownstone Productions in 2002 with her husband, Max Handelman.
In addition to her directing career, Banks has an extensive acting portfolio. She made her film debut in "Surrender Dorothy" (1998) and has appeared in various notable films such as "Spider-Man" trilogy, "Seabiscuit," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "The Lego Movie," "Magic Mike XXL," "Power Rangers," and more.

On television, Banks had recurring roles in series like "30 Rock," "Scrubs," and "Modern Family," earning several Primetime Emmy Award nominations. She also starred in Netflix's "Wet Hot American Summer" series and currently hosts the ABC revival of the game show "Press Your Luck."
Banks's versatile talents as both an actress and filmmaker have established her as a significant figure in the entertainment industry.

Elizabeth Banks was born and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, as the eldest of four children to Ann and Mark P. Mitchell. Her father, a Vietnam War veteran, worked as a factory worker for General Electric, while her mother was employed in a bank. Banks has described her family as being "very meat-and-potatoes, old-school Irish Catholic."
During her childhood, Banks was active in sports, playing baseball and riding horses. However, a leg injury sustained while playing Little League led her to pursue acting after she tried out for a school play.

She graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1992 and later attended the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority and was elected to the Friars Senior Society. Banks graduated magna cum laude in 1996 with a major in communications and a minor in theater arts.
Following her undergraduate studies, Banks furthered her education by attending the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in 1998. This formal training helped solidify her passion for acting and set the stage for her successful career in the entertainment industry.

Elizabeth Banks changed her name upon joining the Screen Actors Guild due to another actress already being registered under the name Elizabeth Mitchell. This decision led to her adopting the professional name Elizabeth Banks.

After auditioning in New York, Banks was offered a role on the soap opera Santa Barbara. However, accepting the role would have required her to quit her education at the American Conservatory Theater. Given that she had taken out student loans to complete her degree, she declined the offer. Instead, Banks made her acting debut in the 1998 independent film Surrender Dorothy under the name Elizabeth Casey. Over the next several years, she appeared in various films, including Wet Hot American Summer (2001), Swept Away (2002), and Seabiscuit (2003). One of her notable early roles was as Betty Brant in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007).

In 2002, Banks co-founded her own production company, Brownstone Productions, with her future husband, Max Handelman.
Banks gained wider recognition with her role in the 2005 comedy film The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Her performance in the Williamstown Theatre Festival's production of Bus Stop in August 2005 also received acclaim, with critics praising her poise, clarity, and understanding of the complexities of her character, Cherie.
In addition to her film work, Banks appeared in the television series Stella in 2005. She also had a recurring role as Dr. Kim Briggs, the love interest of J.D. (Zach Braff), in the NBC sitcom Scrubs, appearing throughout seasons six, seven, and eight as a recurring guest star.

In 2006, Elizabeth Banks appeared in the American football drama film "Invincible," where she portrayed Mark Wahlberg's love interest. Her chemistry with co-star Wahlberg earned them a nomination for the "Best Kiss" award at the MTV Movie Awards. That same year, she also landed the starring role in the comedy-horror film "Slither."

In 2007, Banks took on the female lead in the comedy film "Meet Bill," alongside Aaron Eckhart and Jessica Alba. Additionally, she had a small role as Santa's little helper, Charlyne, in the Christmas comedy film "Fred Claus," starring alongside Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti. In 2008, she played the ex-wife of Ryan Reynolds' character in the comedy film "Definitely, Maybe," starred with Seth Rogen in Kevin Smith's comedy "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," and portrayed United States First Lady Laura Bush in Oliver Stone's biopic "W."
Continuing her diverse roles, Banks appeared in the horror film "The Uninvited" in 2009, a remake of the South Korean film "A Tale of Two Sisters." She based her character, Rachel, on Rebecca De Mornay's character in "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle," adding layers of complexity to her performance.

Known for her collaborations, Banks frequently co-stars with actors Paul Rudd and Tobey Maguire. She has appeared in multiple films alongside Rudd, including "Wet Hot American Summer," "The Baxter," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Role Models," and "Our Idiot Brother." Similarly, she has shared the screen with Maguire in "Spider-Man," "Seabiscuit," "Spider-Man 2," "Spider-Man 3," and "The Details."

In 2010, Banks joined the cast of the Emmy Award-winning sitcom "30 Rock" as a love interest for Alec Baldwin's character, Jack Donaghy. Initially planned for four episodes, her character became recurring, earning her critical acclaim and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
2012 marked a significant year for Banks with roles in the romantic comedy "What to Expect When You're Expecting," the action film "Man on a Ledge," and the musical comedy "Pitch Perfect," where she portrayed Gail Abernathy-McKadden. Her portrayal in "Pitch Perfect" garnered widespread praise, contributing to the film's critical and commercial success.

Banks continued her successful streak with her role as Effie Trinket in "The Hunger Games" film series, appearing in several installments including "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1," and "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2." Additionally, she lent her voice to the character Wyldstyle in the animated film "The Lego Movie."

In recognition of her accomplishments in film, Banks was honored by Elle Magazine during The Women in Hollywood Awards in 2014, celebrating her outstanding achievements in acting, directing, and producing within the motion picture industry.