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Entertainment July 24, 2017
2. She's not shy when it comes to sex.
Elizabeth Banks plays a strong-willed woman on screen and off screen. She’s always cracking jokes with the crowd, but is serious when she needs to be.
She also runs an online platform to honor inspirational women and create opportunities for young girls pursuing a career in comedy.
So to celebrate this awesome Woman That Does, here are five reasons ENTITY finds Elizabeth Banks so gosh darn lovable.
We are used to seeing Elizabeth Banks owning the stage in comedies, but in recent years she has stepped out of that box.
After a long career in comedy, Banks blew everyone away with her theatrical performance as Effie in “The Hunger Games” series.
She also tries on a more sinister hat as the villain Rita Repulsa in the 2017 version of “Power Rangers.” Her performance in the film has been described by critics as “sensual, terrifying and hilarious.” Sounds about right.
Outside of acting, she also directed the first and second “Pitch Perfect” films. “Pitch Perfect 3: Last Call Pitches” comes out in December 2017, but Banks has passed on the directing torch to Trish Sie. However, according to Newsweek, she will be producing a “Charlie’s Angels” remake in June of 2019. We definitely can’t wait for that.
Elizabeth Banks is no stranger to slapstick comedy. After all, two of her most memorable roles were playing a nymphomaniac in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and an amateur porn star in “Zach and Miri Make a Porno.”
Outside of cracking jokes, Elizabeth Banks believes that sexually explicit topics should be normalized in the educational system. In the words of the funny woman herself, “I really think that we do a disservice to young people in America by not being more open about sex. Abstinence programs do not work. It’s a natural, physical thing having sex.”
Banks also told New You that she speaks openly about sex to combat the criticism that sexually active youth are subject to. She went on to say, “I have no desire to shame any young person about what’s going on in their life or about general sexuality or their bodies.” We live in a world where it’s taboo if women are proud sexual beings. However, Banks reminds us that we can do whatever the hell we want.
Elizabeth Banks was a strong Hillary Clinton supporter during the 2016 Presidential Campaign. She even interviewed the presidential nominee on the campaign trail regarding Donald Trump’s disparaging comments about women.
During a speech at Penn State, Banks told the crowd, “You fucking millennials need to get out the fucking vote.” Sounds about right.
Also, when discussing reproductive rights, Banks told Cosmopolitan Magazine that “all-male legislators don’t tell us what to do with our bodies. It’s our medical decisions, it’s our lives … it’s about parity and equity in the world. Women have to be able to make their own decisions about child-rearing.”
Outside of interviews, she often takes to social media to speak up on other social justice issues, including gun violence and equal work for equal pay. Elizabeth Banks is anything but quiet about the things she believes in, and that’s one reason why we love her.
In 2016, Elizabeth Banks launched the website WHOHAHA to highlight talented female comedians. It includes videos and articles that cover A-list stars like Amy Schumer and Tina Fey to hilarious Youtube stars. In an interview with Ad Age, Banks said that she wants to use this platform to break down barriers for women in the comedy world.
Banks also pays homage to powerful women in her blog series, “Ask a Badass.” In the show, she has interviewed Julianne Moore and Betty White, among others. She told Elle Magazine, “I honestly want to just see women taking charge and really leading – not necessarily needing to have a love interest in the film.”
The Hollywood Reporter asked the actress about why she typically opts to hire women for her website and film productions. Banks responded, “I like keeping that promise to women in the industry. I think it is a duty, almost, and a responsibility. If you can do it, invite people to the table.”
She has also cracked up audiences in the films “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” Additionally, she has been nominated for Primetime Emmys twice for her role in the TV series “30 Rock.”
Elizabeth Banks rarely shies away from outrageous jokes and silly antics. However, she admits that there is much effort entailed in being successful as a woman in comedy. As she’s said before, “When you live in a leading lady’s body, which I do, you have to constantly prove that you are funny.” But given her large fan base, it seems like she is certainly proving her comedic talents.
To sum it up, Elizabeth Banks is a firecracker who says what she means. She is always making people laugh but also represents serious issues. Her passion for political issues is contagious and we salute her for supporting other women in and outside of comedy.
If Elizabeth Banks wasn’t your spirit animal before, she sure should be now.
