Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks Headshot

Actress • Director • Host

Birth Date: February 10, 1974

Age: 49 years old

Birth Place: Pittsfield, Massachusetts

A force of energy both in front of and behind the camera, Elizabeth Banks was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 1974. She spent her youth heavily involved in athletics, riding horses and playing Little League baseball until during one fateful game, she broke her leg while sliding into third base. The injury prevented Banks from playing any sports in the immediate aftermath, and so she auditioned for a school play instead, thus beginning what would become a lifelong interest in acting. She eventually graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in communications and went on to enroll in an MFA program at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Though she was offered a role on the soap opera "Santa Barbara" (NBC, 1984-1993) during this time, Banks had already taken out student loans in order to pay for her education and opted to remain in school. After graduating in 1998, Banks made her on-screen debut in the drama "Surrender Dorothy" (1998). Minor TV appearances followed before she landed a prominent role in the cult-favorite comedy "Wet Hot American Summer" (2001). From there, Banks quickly moved on to play Betty Brant in the blockbuster hit "Spider-Man" (2002) -a role she would continue throughout the hit franchise. With her prominence steadily rising, Banks went on to appear in the comedy "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (2004) before co-starring as Dr. Kim Briggs on the fifth season of the comedy series "Scrubs" (NBC, 2001-2010). Comedy remained a major spoke in Banks' wheelhouse as she starred in Kevin Smith's "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (2008), but she still branched out into other genres, playing Laura Bush in Oliver Stone's George W. Bush biopic "W." (2008) and opposite Russell Crowe in the thriller "The Next Three Days" (2010). After a celebrated run as recurring character Avery Jessup on the acclaimed sitcom "30 Rock" (NBC, 2006-2013), Banks joined the massively popular "Hunger Games" franchise as Capitol-dwelling Effie Trinket in "The Hunger Games" (2012), a role she eventually played in all four films in the series. The year 2012 also saw Banks play Gail in the acapella comedy "Pitch Perfect" (2012). She returned for the sequel as well, not only reprising the role of Gail but stepping behind the camera in her feature film directorial debut. It proved a huge success, far out-grossing the first film and cementing Banks' role as a director. She reunited with her "Wet Hot American Summer" castmates for the latter-day prequel series "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" (Netflix, 2015) and for the sequel series "Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later" (Netflix, 2017), much to fans' delight, before playing Gail once again in "Pitch Perfect 3" (2017). This time, Banks did not helm the movie herself, as she was already laying the groundwork for her next project as a director, the "Charlie's Angels" (2019) reboot, in which she also appeared as Bosley. With her credibility sky-high and rising, Banks next co-starred with award winning actor Cate Blanchett in the period series "Mrs. America" (FX, 2020-).

Credits

Cocaine Bear: Extras

Director
TV Show
2023

Oscars 2023: Highlights

Host
TV Show
2023

Cocaine BearStream

Director
Movie
2023
67%

Cocaine BearStream

Producer
Movie
2023
67%

The Beanie Bubble

Actor
Movie
2023

Bottoms

Producer
Movie
2023

Migration

Voice
Pam
Movie
2023

Pitch Perfect: Bumper in BerlinStream

Executive Producer
TV Show
2022
46%

Call JaneStream

Actor
Joy
Movie
2022
82%

CBS Mornings

Guest
TV Show
2021

Bedrock

Executive Producer
TV Show
2021

Bedrock

Voice
Pebbles Flinstone
TV Show
2021

Press Your Luck from ABC

Actor
TV Show
2020

The Drew Barrymore ShowStream

Guest
TV Show
2020

The Red Nose Day Special

Actor
TV Show
2020

Press Your Luck: Extras

Actor
TV Show
2020

The At-Home Variety Show Featuring Seth MacFarlaneStream

Guest
TV Show
2020

Mrs. AmericaStream

Actor
Jill Ruckelshaus
TV Show
2020
96%

Press Your LuckStream

Executive Producer
TV Show
2019

Press Your LuckStream

Host
TV Show
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
TV Show
2019

ShrillStream

Executive Producer
TV Show
2019
88%

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second PartStream

Voice
Wyldstyle/Lucy
Movie
2019
84%

Brightburn

Actor
Tori Breyer
Movie
2019

Charlie's AngelsStream

Actor
Bosley "Boz"
Movie
2019
52%

Charlie's AngelsStream

Director
Movie
2019
52%

Charlie's AngelsStream

Producer
Movie
2019
52%

Charlie's AngelsStream

Screenwriter
Movie
2019
52%

A Lego Christmas Party

Actor
TV Show
2018

Today 3rd Hour

Guest
TV Show
2018

PeopleTV Specials

Guest
TV Show
2018

The Happytime Murders

Actor
Jenny
Movie
2018

The Magical Wand Chase: A Sesame Street Special

Actor
Bird-Lady
TV Show
2017

The Russell Howard Hour

Guest
TV Show
2017

Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years LaterStream

Actor
Lindsay
TV Show
2017

The Gong Show

Guest
TV Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
TV Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Host
TV Show
2017

Pitch Perfect 3

Actor
Gail
Movie
2017

Pitch Perfect 3

Producer
Movie
2017

Saban's Power Rangers

Actor
Rita Repulsa
Movie
2017

The Most Hated Woman in America

Producer
Movie
2017

People Like Us

Actor
TV Show
2016

The MuppetsStream

Guest Star
TV Show
2015
64%

Moonbeam CityStream

Voice
Pizzaz Miller
TV Show
2015
29%

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
TV Show
2015

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of CampStream

Actor
Lindsay
TV Show
2015
85%

Red Nose Day

Guest
TV Show
2015

Resident Advisors

Executive Producer
TV Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
TV Show
2015

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2Stream

Actor
Effie Trinket
Movie
2015
70%

Pitch Perfect 2

Actor
Gail
Movie
2015

Pitch Perfect 2

Director
Movie
2015

Pitch Perfect 2

Producer
Movie
2015

Magic Mike XXLStream

Actor
Paris
Movie
2015
65%

Resident Advisors

Actor
Movie
2015

Resident Advisors

Executive Producer
Movie
2015

Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot

Actor
Movie
2015

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Guest
TV Show
2014

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1: Extras

Actor
TV Show
2014

etalk Presents: The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Part One

Guest
TV Show
2014

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: Extras

Actor
TV Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
TV Show
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
TV Show
2014

Evolution Of...

Actor
TV Show
2014

The LEGO MovieStream

Voice
Wyldstyle/Lucy
Movie
2014
96%

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1Stream

Actor
Effie Trinket
Movie
2014
69%

Little Accidents

Actor
Diana
Movie
2014

Love & MercyStream

Actor
Melinda Ledbetter
Movie
2014
90%

Every Secret Thing

Actor
Detective Nancy Porter
Movie
2014

Walk of Shame

Actor
Meghan
Movie
2014

The Hunger Games: Catching FireStream

Actor
Effie Trinket
Movie
2013
90%

Movie 43

Actor
Amy
Movie
2013

Movie 43

Director
Movie
2013

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
TV Show
2012

The Stunts of The Hunger Games

Self
TV Show
2012

Entertainment Studios.TV

Guest
TV Show
2012

Wainy Days

Actor
TV Show
2012

CBS This Morning

Guest
TV Show
2012

Havana in Bushwick

Actor
Pilar
Movie
2012

The Hunger GamesStream

Actor
Effie Trinket
Movie
2012
84%

Man on a Ledge

Actor
Lydia Spencer
Movie
2012

What to Expect When You're Expecting

Actor
Wendy
Movie
2012

People Like Us

Actor
Frankie
Movie
2012

Pitch PerfectStream

Actor
Gail
Movie
2012
81%

Pitch PerfectStream

Producer
Movie
2012
81%

Love, Marilyn

Actor
Movie
2012

LIVE with Kelly

Guest
TV Show
2011

Our Idiot Brother

Actor
Miranda
Movie
2011

The Details

Actor
Nealy Lang
Movie
2011

ConanStream

Guest
TV Show
2010

The Talk

Guest
TV Show
2010

The Next Three Days

Actor
Lara Brennan
Movie
2010

Modern FamilyStream

Guest Star
Sal
TV Show
2009
85%

ES.TV

Guest
TV Show
2009

The Jay Leno Show

Guest
TV Show
2009

The Uninvited

Actor
Rachel
Movie
2009

Surrogates

Executive Producer
Movie
2009

Definitely, MaybeStream

Actor
Emily
Movie
2008
70%

Meet Dave

Actor
Gina Morrison
Movie
2008

Zack and Miri Make a PornoStream

Actor
Miri
Movie
2008
65%

W.

Actor
Laura Bush
Movie
2008

Role Models

Actor
Beth
Movie
2008

Lovely, Still

Actor
Alex
Movie
2008

Comanche Moon

Actor
TV Show
2007

Phineas and FerbStream

Guest Star
Grulinda
TV Show
2007

The Graham Norton ShowStream

Guest
TV Show
2007

Spider-Man 3Stream

Actor
Miss Brant
Movie
2007
63%

Fred Claus

Actor
Charlene
Movie
2007

Meet Bill

Actor
Jess
Movie
2007

30 RockStream

Guest Star
Avery Jessup
TV Show
2006
78%

Rachael RayStream

Guest
TV Show
2006

etalk

Guest
TV Show
2006

Slither

Actor
Starla Grant
Movie
2006

InvincibleStream

Actor
Janet Cantrell
Movie
2006
72%

Entertainment Tonight Canada

Guest
TV Show
2005

Robot ChickenStream

Guest Voice
TV Show
2005

American Dad!Stream

Guest Voice
Lisa Silver
TV Show
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
TV Show
2005

The Sisters

Actor
Nancy Pecket
Movie
2005

The 40-Year-Old VirginStream

Actor
Beth
Movie
2005
85%

The Baxter

Actor
Caroline Swann
Movie
2005

Heights

Actor
Isabel
Movie
2005

Daltry Calhoun

Actor
May
Movie
2005

Tavis Smiley

Guest
TV Show
2004

Spider-Man 2Stream

Actor
Miss Brant
Movie
2004
93%

Sexual Life

Actor
Sarah
Movie
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
TV Show
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
TV Show
2003

SeabiscuitStream

Actor
Marcela Howard
Movie
2003
78%

The Trade

Actor
Sioux Sever
Movie
2003

Without a TraceStream

Actor
TV Show
2002

Swept Away

Actor
Debi
Movie
2002

Ordinary Sinner

Actor
Rachel
Movie
2002

ScrubsStream

Guest Star
Dr. Kim Briggs
TV Show
2001
83%

Wet Hot American SummerStream

Actor
Lindsay
Movie
2001
38%

Curb Your EnthusiasmStream

Guest Star
Herself
TV Show
2000
92%

Entertainment Studios.com

Guest
TV Show
2000

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Guest Star
Jaina Jansen
TV Show
1999
78%

Bad Girls

Actor
TV Show
1999

Family Guy

Guest Voice
Pam Fishman
TV Show
1999

Family GuyStream

Guest Voice
Pam Fishman
TV Show
1999

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

Guest
TV Show
1999

Kickin' It: With Byron Allen

Guest
TV Show
1998

Sex and the CityStream

Guest Star
Catherine
TV Show
1998
70%

Surrender Dorothy

Actor
Vicky
Movie
1998

The View

Guest
TV Show
1997

Entertainers: With Byron Allen

Guest
TV Show
1994

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
TV Show
1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Guest
TV Show
1992

Birds of a Feather

Actor
TV Show
1989

The Bill

Actor
Shoplifter
TV Show
1984

Entertainment Tonight

Guest
TV Show
1981

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
TV Show
1979

Good Morning America

Guest
TV Show
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Guest
TV Show
1975

TodayStream

Guest
TV Show
1952

News about
Elizabeth Banks