Elizabeth Banks is an American actor and filmmaker. Born Feb. 10, 1974 in Massachusetts, Banks attended the University of Pennsylvania before earning a Master of Fine Arts at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. She made her screen debut in the 1998 indie drama “Surrender Dorothy,” which was followed by supporting roles in “Wet Hot American Summer,” “Seabiscuit” and Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy. She would go on to reprise her “Wet Hot” role in two spinoff Netflix series, “First Day of Camp” and “Ten Years Later.”

Banks established her own production company, Brownstone Productions in 2002, alongside her future husband Max Handelman. After further establishing herself in studio comedies such as “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” “Red Claus,” “Role Models” and “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” she starred as the skittish and gaudy bureaucrat Effie Trinket in the “Hunger Games” franchise. Banks made her feature directorial debut with “Pitch Perfect 2,” after being featured in a small role in the first entry. The film’s $69 million opening weekend was then the largest ever for a first-time director. Her second feature, a reboot of “Charlie’s Angels,” released in 2019, followed by the 2023 comedic thriller “Cocaine Bear.” Other notable acting credits include “Power Rangers,” “Walk of Shame,” “Love & Mercy,” “The Beanie Bubble,” “Mrs. America” and “Brightburn.” She is a three-time Emmy Award nominee — twice for her guest performance on “30 Rock” and once for a guest performance on “Modern Family.” Banks also hosts a revival of the game show “Press Your Luck” on ABC, first beginning the job in 2019.