Elizabeth Banks tells us how she got here
If you take a cursory glance across Hollywood, there are very few stars who have had a career quite as varied as Elizabeth Banks. A critically acclaimed dramatic actress, who boasts roles in the Oscar-winning Seabiscuit, as well as Love and Mercy and The Hunger Games franchise, Banks also cut her chops in more comedic roles: the 50-year-old includes The 40-Year-Old Virgin, 30 Rock and Modern Family on her acting resumé. She has equally proven herself behind the camera too; having set up Brownstone Productions in 2002, Banks has helped produce films such as Pitch Perfect, Cat Person and the cult comedy hit Bottoms.
Now, Banks is showing her versatility once more in Skincare, a pitch-black comedy thriller in which the star plays a famed Los Angeles aesthetician who becomes a victim of vicious blackmail. It’s a dark pastiche of the wellness industry, with Banks’ textured and thoughtful performance giving Skincare its own radiance.
We caught up with the actress to reflect on her career to date.
“I got into acting…
... by accident. I literally fell into performing. I was a student athlete, and I broke my leg sliding into third base playing softball when I was 13. I needed to find something new to do after school while my parents were at work. I joined the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar playing Pontius Pilate, so I could wear a robe over my cast. I really found that it was like playing sports, in that you had a team of people, and you were all going to put on the show together, everybody was relying on each other to play their part well, and at the end, everybody claps. I thought: 'Wow, acting might be for me.'”
“My role models were…
I wanted to be Han Solo. I wanted to be Indiana Jones. I wanted to be everything Harrison Ford was. I just wanted to be him. I also often think about a scene I did on 30 Rock. I was in a room with Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Elaine Stritch and Alan Alda. If you had told my younger self that I was going to be in a room working with that group of people, I would have just thought that was crazy. In that moment, it felt like I had made it. Being in their company felt amazing to me.”
“The project that changed my life was…
...Seabiscuit, 100 per cent. Seabiscuit was nominated for a bunch of Oscars. It was the first movie experience I had where every minute of making the movie felt like we were doing something beautiful, artistic and important. I was working with some of the most incredible actors: Chris Cooper won the Oscar that year that we made that movie. Jeff Bridges is just one of the all-time greatest actors and influences on me. I was working with Toby McGuire and director Gary Ross. I ended up being Effie Trinket for Gary in The Hunger Games later on in my career. Seabiscuit was a big launching pad for me as an actor in Hollywood.”
“The unexpected curveball of my career was…
...The 40-Year-Old Virgin. After Seabiscuit, I mostly was being considered for dramatic roles. I went to drama school, and I studied Shakespeare, Chekhov and Ibsen, so I really knew the classics. It looked as if I was a very classic actress at that time, but I knew I was funny, and I always thought I would be in romantic comedies. I was the last person to audition for the role of Beth in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. I did improv in the audition with Steve Carell, and ended up taking a lot of that improv to the set. That role really reset people's ideas about what I could do as an actress. People always remember the last thing you did, so I was not seen as funny despite American Summer being one of the first movies that put me on the map.
“I have a deep respect for comedy. I now have become somebody who people don't put in a box, and can be funny and be serious. When you’re young, you don’t always have the opportunity to show both sides.”
“The project I could talk about forever is…
...Zack and Miri Make a Porno. It's one of the few romantic comedies that I've starred in, and we all had an incredible time making that movie. I enjoyed working with director Kevin Smith – he's a really iconic American filmmaker and a true romantic at heart. His films have a deep sense of romance in them; all the characters are just trying to be in love, be accepted and be seen. I also felt like I had a real comedic match in Seth Rogen.”
“I cope with fame by…
I actually feel the most famous actors are TV actors. People really feel access to somebody who's in your living room every day, while film stars often sort of float through the world. I feel like I've become a lot more recognisable since Press Your Luck has been on television and since streaming channels have been replaying old movies of mine. I find that I can't do anything without fans, so I really try to embrace people when they say they like me.
“I get recognised as other people a lot. People will come up to me and I brace myself wondering who they think I am. I always say: “Yes, that's me,” because that person wants to be meeting Rachel McAdams or Chelsea Handler in that moment, and I want to give them that gift!”
“The best advice I’ve received is…
...‘All they can do is say no, so ask for everything.’ That’s gotten me pretty far, especially in terms of directing, writing and producing. You're not going to be in a worse position. You'll be the exact same spot, and at least you'll know whether or not you could have moved forward with something. That attitude takes people really far in this industry.”
“My closest friends are…
Most of my closest friends are from college, but I have found over the years that having people to talk to really specifically about what's going on in our industry has become more important to me. Especially as an ageing actress, especially post-Me Too, I’m really feeling connected to other actresses and their endeavours. I’m so impressed just looking at my peers every day. Right now, so many people are working hard and using their platforms for good, to give people a sense that their voice matters. I really love what the women in my industry are doing. I'm taking incredible inspiration from them right now.”
“I was drawn to Skincare…
... because I liked the psychological thriller aspect of it. I love when people get single-minded about something and so stuck on it. I think that's very realistic and relatable. But in this film, there's a domino effect of horrible consequences. I thought that was going to be fun to play, and I really liked the idea of being the lead role in this movie. I rarely get offered roles where I'm in every scene, and this was just one of those things I couldn't pass up on.”
“What I enjoyed about filming Skincare was…
...working with director Austin Peters. He's a new director. This is his first narrative feature. I thought he had a great take on the material and that he really understood what he wanted to do. He had a very specific vision for the noir elements of it and creating this LA story, and I really loved collaborating with him. I thought it was fun to bring somebody into the business. It's something I get to do now that I've had 25 years of doing this.”
“Next on my bucket list is…
I just came back from shooting in New York City, where I took in a lot of Broadway shows, and it reminded me how much I do want to do Broadway someday. I would love to be on stage again. There are so many amazing roles for actresses, so I’d love to do a musical some day.”
Skincare is available to rent/buy on digital platforms now.
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