Elizabeth Banks

( Agencies ) Updated: 2009-10-30 13:19:13

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Birth Name: Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell

Date of Birth: 10th. February, 1974

Birth Place: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, US

Father: Mark Mitchell, a factory worker for General Electric.

Mother: Ann, until recently worked in a bank.

Siblings: oldest of four children

Schooling: She graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1992 and is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in 1996 where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She was the first in her family to graduate from college. In 1998 she completed schooling at the American Conservatory Theater.

Start of Career: Banks changed her name to avoid confusion with actress Elizabeth Mitchell. She debuted in the independent film Surrender Dorothy as "Elizabeth Casey." Banks is known for her roles in Seabiscuit, Heights, the Spider-Man films (playing the part of Betty Brant), and the cult comedy Wet Hot American Summer. She quickly gained widespread exposure through movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Slither. She also plays Mark Wahlberg's love interest in the movie Invincible.

Personal Life: On July 5, 2003, Banks married sportswriter and producer Max Handelman, who had been her boyfriend since college. She converted to Judaism upon marrying him.

Films:

1998 Surrender Dorothy

2000 Shaft

2001 Wet Hot American Summer

Ordinary Sinner

2002 Spider-Man

Swept Away

Catch Me If You Can

Stella Shorts

2003 The Trade

Seabiscuit

2004 Spider-Man 2