Elizabeth Banks

For the journalist, see Elizabeth Banks (journalist).
Elizabeth Banks

Banks in 2012
Born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell
(1974-02-10) February 10, 1974
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma mater University of Pennsylvania (BA)
American Conservatory Theater (MFA)
Occupation
  • Actress
  • producer
  • director
Years active 1998–present
Spouse(s) Max Handelman (m. 2003)
Children 2
Website www.elizabethbanks.com

Elizabeth Banks (born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell;[1][2] February 10, 1974)[3] is an American actress, producer, and director. Banks made her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy (1998), and is known for her roles in such films as Wet Hot American Summer, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–07), Seabiscuit (2003), The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), Role Models (2008), The Next Three Days (2010), Pitch Perfect (2012), The Lego Movie (2014), and The Hunger Games films (2012–15). In 2014, she portrayed Melinda Ledbetter, the girlfriend and later wife of the Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson, in Bill Pohlad's film Love & Mercy and made her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2, whose May 15–17 $69M opening weekend gross set a record for a first-time director.[4][5]

On television, Banks had a recurring role as Avery Jessup on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, which gained her two Emmy Award nominations. She also had recurring roles on Scrubs and Modern Family. In 2015, she reprised her role as Lindsay for the Netflix miniseries Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp.

Early life

Banks was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and grew up on Brown Street, the eldest of four children of Ann (née Wallace) and Mark P. Mitchell.[6] Her father was a factory worker for General Electric and her mother worked in a bank.[7] She has said that she grew up "Irish + WASP + Catholic".[8]

Growing up, Banks played baseball and rode horses. She was in Little League when she broke her leg sliding into third. She then tried out for the school play, which was her start in acting.[9] She graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1992, and is a member of the Massachusetts Junior Classical League.[10] She attended the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She graduated magna cum laude in 1996 with a major in communications and a minor in theater arts.[11] In 1998, she completed schooling at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California, where she earned an MFA.[12][13]

Career

Banks changed her name to avoid confusion with actress Elizabeth Mitchell.[14] After auditioning in New York, she was offered a role on the soap opera Santa Barbara. Taking the role would have required her to quit her education at the American Conservatory Theatre, and Banks ultimately decided to forgo the offer due to having taken out student loans to complete her degree.[15] She made her acting debut in the 1998 independent film Surrender Dorothy, as Elizabeth Casey, and appeared in various films over the next seven years including Guy Ritchie's Swept Away[16] before gaining more prominent widespread exposure through the 2005 comedy film The 40-Year-Old Virgin.[17]

In August 2005, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Banks starred in William Inge's Bus Stop as Cherie, the sexy, blonde, aspiring nightclub singer.[18] Jeffrey Borak wrote that Banks' portrayal was acted "with poise, clarity and a shrewd feel for Cherie's complexities. Her performance is all of a piece and in harmony, stylistically, with the performances around her..."[19] In 2005, she appeared on the series Stella, and in May 2006, she had a role in the season five finale of the NBC sitcom Scrubs as Dr. Kim Briggs, the love interest of J.D. (Zach Braff). The character appeared throughout seasons six, seven, and eight as a recurring guest star.[20]

In 2006, Banks appeared in the American football drama film Invincible, in which she played Mark Wahlberg's love interest. Later, she and co-star Wahlberg were nominated for the "Best Kiss" award at the MTV Movie Awards.[21] That same year, she landed the starring role in the comedy-horror film Slither.[22]

Banks at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2007, Banks played the female lead in the comedy film Meet Bill, alongside Aaron Eckhart and Jessica Alba.[20] That same year, she had a small role in the Christmas comedy film Fred Claus, co-starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti as Santa's little helper, Charlyne. In 2008, she played the ex-wife and mother of the daughter of Ryan Reynolds lead in the comedy film Definitely, Maybe, alongside Isla Fisher and Ryan Reynolds,[23] starred with Seth Rogen as the eponymous female lead in the Kevin Smith comedy Zack and Miri Make a Porno,[20] and played United States First Lady Laura Bush in W., Oliver Stone's biopic of George W. Bush.[24]

In 2009, Banks appeared in the horror film The Uninvited, a remake of the Korean film A Tale of Two Sisters.[25] The film was about an intrusive stepmother who makes life miserable for the teen daughters of her new husband. Banks based her character, Rachel, on Rebecca De Mornay's character in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.[26] "It was very important to me that every line reading I gave could be interpreted two ways," says Banks of her role, "So that when you go back through the movie you can see that".[26]

Banks is a frequent co-star of actor Paul Rudd, the two having appeared in five films together to date (Wet Hot American Summer, The Baxter, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Role Models, and Our Idiot Brother).[27] She is also a frequent co-star of actor Tobey Maguire, the two having also appeared in five films together (Spider-Man, Seabiscuit, Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3, and The Details).[28]

Banks was cast as a love interest for Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) in the fourth season of the Emmy Award–winning sitcom 30 Rock.[29] Intended to appear in four episodes in 2010, Banks went on to become a recurring character with 13 appearances by the end of the fifth season, including her marriage in the episode Mrs. Donaghy. Her performance in season five earned her a nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards.[30]

Banks appeared in the movie The Hunger Games (2012), playing Effie Trinket, a woman from "The Capitol" who escorts the District 12 tributes to the Hunger Games. She reprised the role in the films The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014), and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015).[20] Banks co-starred in the 2014 movie Every Secret Thing, playing Detective Nancy Porter investigating the disappearance of a young child with similarities to a case she had previously been involved with.[31]

In 2014, Banks was recognized by Elle Magazine during The Women in Hollywood Awards, honoring women for their outstanding achievements in film, spanning all aspects of the motion picture industry, including acting, directing, and producing.[32]

Banks portrayed Melinda Ledbetter Wilson, the wife of Brian Wilson, in the 2015 biopic Love and Mercy, which is based on the life of the legendary musician and founding member of The Beach Boys, as portrayed by John Cusack.[33] After producing and appearing, as Gail, in the first Pitch Perfect film, Banks directed its sequel, Pitch Perfect 2 (2015), making her feature directorial debut. She also produced the film, and again played Gail.[34] In 2015, she was named as a member of the Jury for the Main Competition at the 2015 Venice Film Festival. The festival is chaired by Alfonso Cuarón.[35] Also in 2015, Banks became a spokeswoman for Realtor.com in their series of television commercials.[36] In February 2016, Banks was cast as Rita Repulsa in the 2017 Power Rangers reboot film.[37] As of mid-February 2016, Banks became the commercial face of Old Navy.[38]

Personal life

Banks met her husband, sportswriter and producer Max Handelman,[39] on her first day at college on September 6, 1992. They were married in 2003.[40] She and her husband had their first child, Felix, who was born through a surrogate in March 2011.[41] In November 2012, Banks announced the birth of another son, Magnus Mitchell, also by surrogate.[42]

Banks went through parts of the process of conversion to Judaism, her husband's faith, and studied with rabbis. In 2013, speaking of her religion, she stated that she practices Judaism, though "I did not have my mikveh, so technically I'm not converted", but that she has "been essentially a Jew for like 15 years", adding "Frankly, because I'm already doing everything [practicing religious rituals], I feel like I'm as Jewish as I'm ever going to be".[43][44]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Surrender Dorothy Vicki Credited as Elizabeth Casey
2000 Shaft Trey's friend Credited as Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell
2001 Wet Hot American Summer Lindsay
Ordinary Sinner Rachel
2002 Spider-Man Betty Brant
Swept Away Debi
Catch Me If You Can Lucy Forrest
2003 The Trade Sioux Sever
Seabiscuit Marcela Howard
2004 Spider-Man 2 Betty Brant
2005 Heights Isabel Lee
Sexual Life Sarah
The Sisters Nancy Pecket
The Baxter Caroline Swann
The 40-Year-Old Virgin Beth
Daltry Calhoun May
2006 Slither Starla Grant
Invincible Janet Cantrell
2007 Spider-Man 3 Betty Brant
Meet Bill Jess
Fred Claus Charlene
2008 Definitely, Maybe Emily Jones
Meet Dave Gina Morrison
Lovely, Still Alex
W. Laura Bush
Zack and Miri Make a Porno Miriam "Miri" Linky
Role Models Beth Jones
2009 Big Breaks Starlet Short film
The Uninvited Rachel Summers
Surrogates N/A Executive producer
2010 The Next Three Days Lara Brennan
2011 The Details Nealy Lang
Just a Little Heart Attack Woman Short film
Also director
Our Idiot Brother Miranda Rochlin
2012 Man on a Ledge Lydia Mercer
The Hunger Games Effie Trinket
What to Expect When You're Expecting Wendy Cooper
People Like Us Frankie Davis
Pitch Perfect Gail Abernathy-McKadden Also producer
2013 Movie 43 Amy Segment: "Beezel"
Directed segment: "Middleschool Date"
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Effie Trinket
2014 Little Accidents Diane Doyle
The Lego Movie Wyldstyle/Lucy Voice role
Walk of Shame Meghan Miles
Every Secret Thing Detective Nancy Porter
Love & Mercy Melinda Ledbetter
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 Effie Trinket
2015 Pitch Perfect 2 Gail Abernathy-McKadden Also director and producer
Magic Mike XXL Paris
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 Effie Trinket
2017 Power Rangers Rita Repulsa Filming[45]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999 All My Children Waitress 1 episode
1999 Third Watch Elaine Elchisak Episode: "Patterns"
Credited as Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell
2000 Sex and the City Catherine Episode: "Politically Erect"
2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jaina Tobias Jansen Episode: "Sacrifice"
2002 Without a Trace Clarissa Episode: "Snatch Back"
2005 Stella Tamara Episode: "Meeting Girls"
2006–09 Scrubs Dr. Kim Briggs 17 episodes
2007–08 Wainy Days Shelly 3 episodes
2007–08 American Dad! Becky Arangino / Lisa Silver (voices) 3 episodes
2008 Comanche Moon Maggie Tilton 3 episodes
2009–15 Modern Family Sal 4 episodes
2010–12 30 Rock Avery Jessup 15 episodes
2012 Family Guy Pam Fishman (voice) Episode: "Into Fat Air"
2012 Robot Chicken Mrs. Claus / Shana "Scarlett" O'Hara (voices) Episode: "Robot Chicken's ATM Christmas Special"
2012 Comedy Bang! Bang! Herself Episode: "Elizabeth Banks Wears A Red Dress"
2013 Timms Valley Beth Billings-Timms (voice) Pilot
2014 Phineas and Ferb Grulinda (voice) Episode: "Imperfect Storm"
2015 Resident Advisors Doctor Episode: "Motivational Speaker "; also producer
2015 Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Lindsay 6 episodes
2015 Moonbeam City Chief Pizzaz Miller (voice) 10 episodes
2015 The Muppets Herself Episode: "Pig Girls Don't Cry"
2015 Saturday Night Live Herself/host Episode: "Elizabeth Banks/Disclosure"

Video games

Year Title Voice role
2014 The Lego Movie Videogame Wyldstyle/Lucy
2015 Lego Dimensions Wyldstyle/Lucy

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Work Result Ref.
2003 Young Hollywood Awards Exciting New Face N/A Won [46]
2004 Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
(shared with rest of cast)		 Seabiscuit Nominated [47]
2007 MTV Movie Awards Best Kiss
(shared with Mark Wahlberg) 		Invincible Nominated [21]
2008 Detroit Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress W. Nominated [48]
2009 Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards Face of the Future Award N/A Won [49]
2011 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series 30 Rock Nominated [30]
2012 MTV Movie Awards Best On-Screen Transformation The Hunger Games Won [50]
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Female Scene Stealer Nominated [51]
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series 30 Rock Nominated [30]
2013 CinemaCon Excellence in Acting N/A Won [52]
Online Film & Television Association Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Modern Family Nominated [53]
San Diego Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Nominated [54]
2014 Golden Raspberry Awards Worst Director
(shared with rest of the directors) 		Movie 43 Won [55]
MTV Movie Awards Best On-Screen Transformation The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Nominated [56]
2015 Austin Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Love & Mercy Nominated [57]
BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Feature Film The Lego Movie Nominated [58]
Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film
(shared with rest of the cast) 		Nominated
BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Feature Film Won
Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film
(shared with rest of the cast) 		Won
CinemaCon Breakthrough Filmmaker of the Year N/A Won [59]
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress Love & Mercy Nominated [60]
Indiana Film Journalists Association Best Supporting Actress Runner-up [61]
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress Won [62]
MTV Movie Awards Best On-Screen Transformation The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 Won [63]
Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Modern Family Nominated [64]
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated [30]
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress Love & Mercy Runner-up [65]
2016 Santa Barbara International Film Festival Virtuoso Award Won [66]
Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated [67]
Golden Raspberry Awards The Razzie Redeemer Award Pitch Perfect 2 Nominated [68]

References

  1. ↑ Vary, Adam B. (2008-10-20). "Elizabeth Banks Fall's First Lady Elizabeth Banks Movie Spotlight Movies Entertainment Weekly 2". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  2. ↑ "Elizabeth Irene Mitchell". familytreemaker.genealogy.com. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Monitor". Entertainment Weekly. Feb 15, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Box office: 'Pitch Perfect 2' crescendos past 'Mad Max: Fury Road' to $70.3 million". LATimes.com. 2015-05-17. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
  5. ↑ "Box Office Top 20: 'Pitch Perfect 2' lands at $69.2 million". yahoo.com. 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
  6. ↑ Jessica Willis (October 21, 2008). "From Pittsfield to the big screen". The Berkshire Eagle.
  7. ↑ James Mottram (2008-11-08). "Elizabeth Banks: from the top-shelf to First Lady in W.". The Times (London). Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  8. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks". Twitter. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  9. ↑ "About Elizabeth Banks". yahoo movies. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks Was A Sexy-Flirty Latin Clubber". TeamCoco. September 24, 2012. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  11. ↑ "How to Succeed in Business by Really, Really Trying". Penn Gazette. December 22, 2009. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Master of Fine Arts Program in Acting". www.act-sf.org. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  13. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks And Annette Bening Honored At American Conservatory Theater Awards". Huffington post. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  14. ↑ Strauss, Bob (2008-10-27). "From first lady to Porno star actress: Elizabeth Banks dishes the dirt". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  15. ↑ Banks, Elizabeth (November 4, 2015). Love & Mercy, Elizabeth Banks. DP/30: The Oral History of Hollywood. (Interview). Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Swept Away". new york times. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "The 40-Year Old Virgin Is Ten Years Old". movie pilot.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  18. ↑ Sommer, Elyse. 2005, Curtain Up.
  19. ↑ Borak, Jeffrey 2005. "Love blooms in a Kansas diner", Berkshire Eagle August 20, Art section.
  20. 1 2 3 4 "Elizabeth Banks Biography". biography.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  21. 1 2 Jones, Alan. "Invincible". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  22. ↑ "Slither movie review". Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "Definitely, Maybe (2008)". New York Times. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  24. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks is Oliver Stone's Laura Bush". ComingSoon.net. 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  25. ↑ Barton, Steve (2010-03-01). "Elizabeth Banks to Head Out into the Dark Fields?". Dreadcentral.com. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
  26. 1 2 "Elizabeth Banks: The Uninvited". SuicideGirls.com. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  27. ↑ On, Cs (2010-02-27). "Elizabeth Banks Entering Dark Fields?". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
  28. ↑ "Tobey Maguire on New Spider-Man Film". YouTube.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
  29. ↑ Joyce Eng. "Elizabeth Banks to Guest-Star on 30 Rock". TVGuide.com.
  30. 1 2 3 4 "Elizabeth Banks". Emmys.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  31. ↑ "‘Every Secret Thing’ review: Diane Lane, Elizabeth Banks and Dakota Fanning grapple with underwhelming drama". ny daily news. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  32. ↑ ELLE (15 October 2014). "Women in Hollywood 2014 - ELLE November 2014 Cover Story". ELLE.
  33. ↑ "Watch John Cusack and Elizabeth Banks’s Awkward First Date in an Exclusive Clip from Love & Mercy". Vanity fair. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  34. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks: ‘I Had More to Offer an Industry That Clearly Didn’t Expect Too Much’". variety.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  35. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks, Diane Kruger join Alfonso Cuarón on Venice Film Festival jury". Entertainment weekly. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  36. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks Is in Our New TV Ads, and That's Pretty Cool". Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com.
  37. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks Cast as Rita Repulsa in Power Rangers Movie". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  38. ↑ "WORK STUFF".
  39. ↑ "Celebrity Wedding: Elizabeth Banks & Max Handelman". In Style. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  40. ↑ Tiger, Caroline 2010. "How to Succeed in Show Business by Really Really Trying". The Pennsylvania Gazette Jan.-Feb., Vol. 108, No. 3, pp. 46–50.
  41. ↑ Michaud, Sarah (March 31, 2011). "Elizabeth Banks Names 'Miracle' Baby Felix". people.com. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  42. ↑ Banks, Elizabeth (November 14, 2012). "IT'S A BOY!". elizabethbanks.com. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  43. ↑ Butnick, Stephanie (January 17, 2013). "Jewish Actress Elizabeth Banks Discusses Her Conversion With Marc Maron". Jewcy. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  44. ↑ "Episode 352 – Elizabeth Banks". WTF with Marc Maron. January 14, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  45. ↑ Spencer Perry. "Production Begins on Saban’s Power Rangers Movie!". Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  46. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks Biography - Rotten Tomatoes".
  47. ↑ http://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/10th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards nominees
  48. ↑ "The 2008 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards". Detroit Film Critics Society. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  49. ↑ "Women in Film to Honor Holly Hunter and Jennifer Aniston". womenandhollywood.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  50. ↑ "2012 MTV Movie Awards". MTV. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  51. ↑ "Teen Choice Awards 2012: 'Hunger Games,' 'Twilight' and Justin Bieber Win Big". ABC News. July 23, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  52. ↑ "CinemaCon: Elizabeth Banks to Receive Excellence in Acting Award". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015.
  53. ↑ "Online Film & Television Association".
  54. ↑ "San Diego Film Critics Select Top Films for 2013". San Diego Film Critics Society. December 11, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  55. ↑ "The 34th Annual RAZZIE® Award Nominees for 2013 Worst Director". The Golden Raspberry Award Foundation and John Wilson. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
  56. ↑ "Best on-screen transformation". mtv.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  57. ↑ "The AFCA 2015 Awards Nominees".
  58. ↑ "Behind The Voice Actors - BTVA Voice Acting Awards". Behind The Voice Actors.
  59. ↑ "Elizabeth Banks Named CinemaCon’s Breakthrough Filmmaker of the Year". Variety. Retrieved 2015.
  60. ↑ "‘Carol’ Leads 2015 Florida Film Critics Awards Nominations". FloridaFilmCritics.com.
  61. ↑ "'Spotlight' named Best Picture by Indiana Film Journalists Association".
  62. ↑ "Las Vegas Film Critics SocietyAwards".
  63. ↑ "YANGAROO and MTV Extend Deal for 2015 and 2016 MTV Movie Awards and MTV Video Music Awards", Naijadudes. Retrieved on 11 January 2015.
  64. ↑ "Online Film & Television Association".
  65. ↑ "The San Francisco Film Critics Circle". Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  66. ↑ Scott Feinberg (17 November 2015). "Santa Barbara Film Fest: Elizabeth Banks, Paul Dano, Joel Edgerton and Jacob Tremblay Named Virtuosos". The Hollywood Reporter.
  67. ↑ "Satellite Awards Nominees Unveiled". hollywoodreporter. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  68. ↑ "Razzie Awards 2016 Winners Announced". ComingSoon.net. 27 February 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elizabeth Banks.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, May 04, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.