Elizabeth Banks

Biography

Elizabeth Banks (born February 10, 1974) is an American actress, producer and director. She is known for playing Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games film series (2012–2015) and Gail Abernathy-McKadden in the Pitch Perfect film series (2012–2017). She made her directorial film debut with Pitch Perfect 2 (2015), whose $69 million opening-weekend gross set a record for a first-time director. She went on to direct, write, produce, and star in the action comedy film Charlie's Angels (2019). She also directed and produced the horror comedy film Cocaine Bear (2023). Banks founded the film and television production company Brownstone Productions in October 2002, with her husband Max Handelman. Banks made her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy (1998). She has appeared in the films Wet Hot American Summer (2001), Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Invincible (2006), Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), Role Models (2008), The Next Three Days (2010), Man on a Ledge (2012), Movie 43 (2013), The Lego Movie (2014) and its 2019 sequel, Love & Mercy (2014), Walk of Shame (2014), Magic Mike XXL (2015), Power Rangers (2017), and The Beanie Bubble (2023).

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

The Boys

The Simpsons

Family Guy

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

American Dad!

American Dad!

All Movies (83)

• DreamQuil2026 · as Carol
• Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass2026 · as Elizabeth Banks
• Skincare2024 · as Hope Goldman
• Migration2023 · as Pam Mallard (voice)
• Show Her the Money2023 · as Herself
• A Mistake2023 · as Liz Taylor
• The Beanie Bubble2023 · as Robbie
• Call Jane2022 · as Joy
• Charlie's Angels2019 · as Boz
• Brightburn2019 · as Tori Breyer
• The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part2019 · as Wyldstyle / Lucy (voice)
• Emmet's Holiday Party: A LEGO Movie Short2018 · as Lucy / Wyldstyle (voice)
• The Happytime Murders2018 · as Jenny
• Pitch Perfect 32017 · as Gail
• Sesame Street: The Magical Wand Chase2017 · as Bird-Lady
• Yours Sincerely, Lois Weber2017 · as Herself - Host
• The Power of the Present2017 · as Self - Green Ranger (2017)
• Power Rangers2017 · as Rita Repulsa / The Green Ranger
• Asteroids!2017 · as Cheez
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 22015 · as Effie Trinket
• Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot2015 · as Self
• Magic Mike XXL2015 · as Paris
• Love & Mercy2015 · as Melinda Ledbetter
• Pitch Perfect 22015 · as Gail Abernathy-McKadden
• Resident Advisors2015 · as Doctor
• Straight from the Heart: A Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman2015 · as Self
• The Mockingjay Lives: The Making of the Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 12015 · as Self - Effie Trinket
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 12014 · as Effie Trinket
• Robot Chicken: Christmas Specials2014 · as Various (voice) (archive sound)
• Walk of Shame2014 · as Meghan
• Every Secret Thing2014 · as Detective Nancy Porter
• Little Accidents2014 · as Diane Doyle
• Surviving the Game: Making The Hunger Games: Catching Fire2014 · as Self - Effie Trinket
• The Lego Movie2014 · as Wyldstyle / Lucy (voice)
• Timms Valley2013 · as Beth Billings-Timms
• Face in the Crowd2013 · as Face
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire2013 · as Effie Trinket
• Love, Marilyn2013 · as Self
• Movie 432013 · as Amy (segment "Beezel")
• The Details2012 · as Nealy Lang
• Pitch Perfect2012 · as Gail Abernathy-McKadden
• The World Is Watching: Making the Hunger Games2012 · as Self - Effie Trinket
• People Like Us2012 · as Frankie Davis
• What to Expect When You're Expecting2012 · as Wendy Cooper
• The Hunger Games2012 · as Effie Trinket
• Man on a Ledge2012 · as Lydia Mercer
• Just a Little Heart Attack2011 · as Woman
• Our Idiot Brother2011 · as Miranda Rochlin
• The Next Three Days2010 · as Lara Brennan
• Lovely, Still2009 · as Alex
• Popcorn Porn: Watching 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno'2009 · as Self
• The Uninvited2009 · as Rachael
• Big Breaks2008 · as Starlet
• Role Models2008 · as Beth
• W.2008 · as Laura Bush
• This Is Not Sex2008
• Zack and Miri Make a Porno2008 · as Miri
• Meet Dave2008 · as Gina Morrison
• Definitely, Maybe2008 · as Emily
• Fred Claus2007 · as Charlene
• Meet Bill2007 · as Jess
• Spider-Man 32007 · as Miss Brant
• Invincible2006 · as Janet Cantrell
• Slither2006 · as Starla Grant
• Daltry Calhoun2005 · as May
• The Baxter2005 · as Caroline Swann
• The 40 Year Old Virgin2005 · as Beth
• Heights2005 · as Isabel
• The Sisters2005 · as Nancy Pecket
• Sexual Life2005 · as Sarah
• Spider-Man 22004 · as Miss Brant
• Winners' Circle: The Heroes Behind the Legend2003 · as Self
• Seabiscuit2003 · as Marcela Howard
• The Trade2003 · as Sioux Sever
• Stella Shorts 1998-20022002 · as Yoga Student
• Catch Me If You Can2002 · as Lucy
• Swept Away2002 · as Debi
• Spider-Man2002 · as Miss Brant
• Ordinary Sinner2001 · as Rachel
• Wet Hot American Summer2001 · as Lindsay
• Shaft2000 · as Trey's Friend
• Uninvited2000 · as Lady Reporter
• Surrender Dorothy1998 · as Vicki

All TV Shows (56)

• The Puzzle Room with David Kwong2026 · as Self - Guest
• Bear Grylls is Running Wild2026 · as Self
• The Miniature Wife2026 · as Lindy Littlejohn
• Variety & CNN Actors on Actors2025 · as Self
• The Better Sister2025 · as Nicky Macintosh
• Mrs. America2020 · as Jill Ruckelshaus
• The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self
• The Boys2019 · as Elizabeth Banks (uncredited)
• Press Your Luck2019 · as Self - Host
• The Russell Howard Hour2017 · as Self
• Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later2017 · as Lindsay
• The Gong Show2017 · as Self - Judge
• The Muppets2015 · as Self
• Moonbeam City2015 · as Pizzaz Miller (voice)
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest
• Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp2015 · as Lindsay
• Resident Advisors2015 · as Doctor
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
• The Frame2013 · as Effie Trinket
• Comedy Bang! Bang!2012 · as Self
• Conan2010 · as Self - Guest
• Modern Family2009 · as Sal
• The Jay Leno Show2009 · as Self
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• Comanche Moon2008 · as Maggie
• The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
• 30 Rock2006 · as Avery Jessup
• Made in Hollywood2005 · as Self
• Robot Chicken2005 · as Mrs. Claus / Scarlett (voice)
• American Dad!2005 · as Becky Arangino (voice)
• American Dad!2005 · as Lisa Silver (voice)
• The Tony Danza Show2004 · as Self
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self - Guest
• Without a Trace2002 · as Clarissa
• Scrubs2001 · as Dr. Kim Briggs
• Critics Choice Awards2001 · as Self - Presenter
• Curb Your Enthusiasm2000 · as Elizabeth Banks
• The Early Show1999 · as Self
• Third Watch1999 · as Elaine Elchisak
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Jaina Jansen
• Family Guy1999 · as Pam Fishman (voice)
• Sex and the City1998 · as Catherine
• The View1997 · as Self - Guest
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self
• Late Show with David Letterman1993 · as Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno1992
• The Simpsons1989 · as Persephone (voice)
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest
• Entertainment Tonight1981 · as Self
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• The Emmy Awards1949 · as Self
• Untitled Elizabeth Banks Apple TV Series— · as Heidi