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
A Mistake
Liz Taylor
2024
The Beanie Bubble
Robbie
2023
Surviving the Game: Making The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Self (Effie Trinket)
2014
Robot Chicken's ATM Christmas Special
Mrs. Claus / Shana 'Scarlett' O'Hara (voice)
2012
The World Is Watching: Making the Hunger Games
Self (Effie Trinket)
2012
The Hunger Games
Effie Trinket
2012
Man on a Ledge
Lydia Mercer
2012
The Next Three Days
Lara
2010
Lovely, Still
Alex
2009
Popcorn Porn: Watching 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno'
Self
2009
The Uninvited
Rachael
2009
Role Models
Beth
2008
W.
Laura Bush
2008
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Miri
2008
Meet Dave
Gina Morrison
2008
Definitely, Maybe
Emily
2008
Fred Claus
Charlene
2007
Meet Bill
Jess
2007
Spider-Man 3
Miss Brant
2007
Invincible
Janet Cantrell
2006
Slither
Starla Grant
2006
Daltry Calhoun
May
2005
The Baxter
Caroline Swann
2005
The 40 Year Old Virgin
Beth
2005
Heights
Isabel
2005
The Sisters
Nancy Pecket
2005
Sexual Life
Sarah
2005
Spider-Man 2
Miss Brant
2004
Seabiscuit
Marcela Howard
2003
Catch Me If You Can
Lucy
2002
Swept Away
Debi
2002
Spider-Man
Miss Brant
2002
Wet Hot American Summer
Lindsay
2001
DreamQuil
Carol
Show Her the Money
Herself
2023
Call Jane
Joy
2022
Charlie's Angels
Boz
2019
Brightburn
Tori Breyer
2019
Emmet's Holiday Party: A LEGO Movie Short
Lucy / Wyldstyle (voice)
2018
Sesame Street: The Magical Wand Chase
Bird-Lady
2017
The Power of the Present
Self - Green Ranger (2017)
2017
The Muppets
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Moonbeam City
Pizzaz Miller (voice) · (10 episodes)
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp
Lindsay · (8 episodes)
2015
Resident Advisors
Doctor
2015
Resident Advisors
Doctor · (1 episode)
2015
The Mockingjay Lives: The Making of the Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
Self (Effie Trinket)
2015
The Details
Nealy Lang
2012
Modern Family
Sal · (7 episodes)
2009
The Jay Leno Show
Self · (1 episode)
2009
This Is Not Sex
2008
Comanche Moon
Maggie · (3 episodes)
2008
30 Rock
Avery Jessup · (14 episodes)
2006
American Dad!
Becky Arangino (voice) · (1 episode)
2005
The Tony Danza Show
Self · (1 episode)
2004
The Trade
Sioux Sever
2003
Stella Shorts 1998-2002
Yoga Student
2002
Without a Trace
Clarissa · (1 episode)
2002
Scrubs
Dr. Kim Briggs · (16 episodes)
2001
Critics Choice Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
2001
Shaft
Trey's Friend
2000
The Early Show
Self · (1 episode)
1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Jaina Jansen · (1 episode)
1999
Surrender Dorothy
Vicki
1998
The Daily Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1996
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1988
Red Queen
(1 episode)
The Better Sister
Nicky Macintosh · (8 episodes)
2025
Skincare
Hope Goldman
2024
Migration
Pam Mallard (voice)
2023
Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home
Self (archive footage)
2022
Mrs. America
Jill Ruckelshaus · (9 episodes)
2020
I'm a LA... Get Me Out of Here!
Self - Contestant · (20 episodes)
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self · (1 episode)
2019
The Boys
Elizabeth Banks (uncredited) · (1 episode)
2019
Press Your Luck
Self - Host · (59 episodes)
2019
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Wyldstyle / Lucy (voice)
2019
The Happytime Murders
Jenny
2018
Pitch Perfect 3
Gail
2017
The Russell Howard Hour
Self · (1 episode)
2017
Yours Sincerely, Lois Weber
Herself - Host
2017
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later
Lindsay · (8 episodes)
2017
The Gong Show
Self - Judge · (1 episode)
2017
Power Rangers
Rita Repulsa / The Green Ranger
2017
Asteroids!
Cheez
2017
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
Effie Trinket
2015
Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot
Self
2015
Magic Mike XXL
Paris
2015
Love & Mercy
Melinda Ledbetter
2015
Pitch Perfect 2
Gail Abernathy-McKadden
2015
Straight from the Heart: A Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman
Self
2015
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self · (1 episode)
2014
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
Effie Trinket
2014
Robot Chicken: Christmas Specials
Various (voice) (archive sound)
2014
Walk of Shame
Meghan
2014
Every Secret Thing
Detective Nancy Porter
2014
Little Accidents
Diane Doyle
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (2 episodes)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (3 episodes)
2014
The Lego Movie
Wyldstyle / Lucy (voice)
2014
Timms Valley
Beth Billings-Timms
2013
Face in the Crowd
Face
2013
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Effie Trinket
2013
Love, Marilyn
Self
2013
The Frame
Effie Trinket · (1 episode)
2013
Movie 43
Amy (segment "Beezel")
2013
Pitch Perfect
Gail Abernathy-McKadden
2012
People Like Us
Frankie Davis
2012
Comedy Bang! Bang!
Self · (1 episode)
2012
What to Expect When You're Expecting
Wendy Cooper
2012
Honest Trailers
Effie Trinket (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2012
Just a Little Heart Attack
Woman
2011
Our Idiot Brother
Miranda Rochlin
2011
Conan
Self · (1 episode)
2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
Big Breaks
Starlet
2008
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (3 episodes)
2007
Made in Hollywood
Self · (1 episode)
2005
American Dad!
Lisa Silver (voice) · (1 episode)
2005
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Ordinary Sinner
Rachel
2001
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Elizabeth Banks · (1 episode)
2000
Uninvited
Lady Reporter
2000
Third Watch
Elaine Elchisak · (1 episode)
1999
Family Guy
Pam Fishman (voice) · (1 episode)
1999
Sex and the City
Catherine · (1 episode)
1998
The View
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1997
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
(1 episode)
1992
The Simpsons
Persephone (voice) · (1 episode)
1989
Entertainment Tonight
Self · (1 episode)
1981
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1975
The Miniature Wife
Lindy · (2 episodes)
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953