Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks is an American actress, producer, and director. Banks made her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy, and is known for her roles in such films as Wet Hot American Summer, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, Seabiscuit, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Role Models, The Next Three Days, Pitch Perfect, The Lego Movie, and The Hunger Games films. In 2014, she portrayed Melinda Ledbetter, the girlfriend and later wife of the Beach Boys...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth10 February 1974
CityPittsfield, MA
CountryUnited States of America
I grew up sort of lower working class. And I just didn't want to have the money struggles that my parents had. You know, I could just - as loving an environment I grew up in - and I grew up in a great home, a very loving home - but, you know, we had that stress. We had that stress in our life.
I directed plays in college. It's something that I have sort of always put in the back of my mind, and I'm a busy actress, and it's very difficult to sort of find the time, honestly, to commit to directing. It's a very - it's a big, big job.
I have such a respect for comedy. It's a lot harder than doing drama, in my opinion; you have to have sort of an innate sense of humor. There are rules to comedy you can learn. But ultimately, it really does require a certain point of view on the world, and that really does appeal to me.
I had an audition for Mary Jane Watson in 'Spiderman' and ended up playing Betty Brant in that series. I auditioned for Amy Adams' role in 'Catch Me If You Can' and, you know, ended up playing the bank teller. So there were a lot of times early on where I felt like I was always sort of the bridesmaid, never the bride - never quite right.
When I was coming up, it was the golden age. It was Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan, and Reese Witherspoon was starting. You really had, 'Who is America's Next Sweetheart?' every couple of years. And then this sort of bromance slacker thing took over.
I'm not a particularly shiny, happy person. I'm fairly cynical, and that's what draws me to comedy.
I'm not a fan of plastic surgery. Oh, and I've never had a wax in my life. Waxing makes no sense to me because you have to grow it out to wax it.
I have very fond memories of the Eagles from my experience with 'Invincible' and my college days in Philadelphia. But I am a Massachusetts girl and a Pats fan.
I like entertaining people. I want to make big entertainment.
I'm afraid of a cappella. I don't read music, and I have a hard time harmonizing. Basically, I'm a melody singer only.
I love improv. I do it with my co-star John Michael Higgins in both 'Pitch Perfect' films.
I've learned all my hair and makeup tricks on the set, and I incorporate all kinds of things when I'm getting ready, and I'm big on blotting papers. I get a very shiny forehead, which I like to call my inner glow coming out.
No matter what, I'm in a very small club. There are very few women who have directed studio-level commercial films - very few.
Violence against women is real and something I feel passionately about, and the gateway to all that is wolf whistling. It's allowing a man to impose his will on a woman who is just trying to walk down the street and live her life. It's all about unwanted versus wanted attention, and, of course, there's a fine line.