Elizabeth Banks
I grew up in a very small town, but it happened to be in western Massachusetts, where there were a lot of gay people. I remember my aunt going to a gay wedding when I was 11, and I thought it was the coolest thing.Collection: Wedding
My acting gives me my self-worth.
Your funny gets developed pretty early on. Comedy requires that you understand as much as possible about the viewpoints of all people and everything that's going on around you. It genuinely requires a true point of view, a real sense of your own view of things in the world.
Comedy often comes at the expense of others, and to do that smartly, you don't want to make fun of vulnerable people. You want to make fun of people in power, and so you need to really understand the dynamics of power.
It's not good to put in a magazine what I weigh because it's too little. People freak out when they hear what I weigh. They think, 'Oh, you're too skinny.'
I love Prada shoes. I cannot get enough of them. Or Valentino.
Normally for photo shoots I get a full wax, some tanning, a facial.
I have very fond memories of the Eagles from my experience with 'Invincible' and my college days in Philadelphia. But I am a Massachusetts girl and a Pats fan.
I work out with our trainer, Jocelynne Boschen of Alpha Sport L.A., hike a lot, and eat healthy. I love cooking so prepare a lot of my own food and avoid processed foods. No fast food. No soda.
My father is a huge horse racing fan, so I was introduced to the sport long before 'Seabiscuit.' But the role made me an even bigger fan. Horse racing is one of my favorite sports.
My favorite event each year is the Yankees-Red Sox series. Love seeing passions run hot among the fans, especially when both teams are in the running for the playoffs.
I secretly harbor the fantasy of becoming an action star at any moment. I know I'd be great at it.
I think the hardcore fans can expect exactly what both 'The Hunger Games' and 'Catching Fire' delivered: 'Mockingjay' is going to be as faithful a rendition of Suzanne's Collins's world and books and characters as we can put out!
I really find that when I get on an airplane, I never drink anything but water, and I drink a ton of it. I like to sit in the window, but I'm always climbing over people to go to the bathroom. I'm that seatmate. But ya gotta do it. All about the water.
Portion control is a real problem. My husband and I always split one appetizer and one entree. I'm sure waiters hate us.
I only know the lyrics to songs that I listened to between the ages of 11 and 15.
My father always made an amazing meatloaf, and I've inherited his skill. Leftover meatloaf in a sandwich? Come on!
One predictor for divorce is contempt, which to me is just another word for disrespect.
I've learned all my hair and makeup tricks on the set, and I incorporate all kinds of things when I'm getting ready, and I'm big on blotting papers. I get a very shiny forehead, which I like to call my inner glow coming out.
When you have one kid, you feel like you can jet set around, and you can throw him on the hip, and you get your life done. You don't realize how easy one is until you have two. Now I'm really a mom. Oh, I am a mom now! This is for serious - I am responsible for two people now.
I think comedy has to be very fearless, or it just gets bland.
It's okay to lose. Losing teaches you something. Having to try and going through the trials and tribulations to actually overcome, to get there to win, to triumph, that's what makes life interesting.
Sometimes I'm sexy, and sometimes I'm not.
I played softball. I was on an all-star team. I traveled with the team. I loved it.
Klutziness is endearing. I like imperfection.
I love stories about misfits and underdogs.
I'm not a fan of plastic surgery. Oh, and I've never had a wax in my life. Waxing makes no sense to me because you have to grow it out to wax it.
You have got to have an agent. It's a business. But I think there is a way to be artful and commercial at the same time.
I hope I'm Jessica Tandy, you know. I hope I'm onstage, and I fall over at 85 or something with everyone applauding thinking that it was a joke, you know, 'There she goes again,' and I'm just gone. I've gone to Heaven.
I like my coffee light.
I was an early adopter of the 'Hunger Games.' I read them before they were best sellers - I was on the pre-order wait list for 'Mockingjay' on Amazon.
If I ever complain about yachting around the Mediterranean with Madonna, who I just idolized as a child, I should be slapped across the face.
I love working with a stylist but I also love having personal relationships with designers. A stylist is great for pulling together an entire outfit, accessories included, and for shaking me out of my comfort zone.
I am not afraid of much. I kill all the spiders in my house, and I'm planning to go skydiving. I am into girl power, and I'm very self-sufficient.
I actually think that secrets are just a part of human nature and that everybody should have some.
When I was in college I was accused of being a goody two-shoes. But every goody two-shoes has a bad side.
I play Rock Band, which is Guitar Hero times ten. You can play with four people, so when you have parties, you have a real band. Nobody ever wants to sing, so I'm always the one throwing down on the mic.
Most men I know rely on women to do all the literal dirty work.
I love physical comedy. I love Oscar Wilde, I love Shakespeare comedies, I love improv.
Every once in a while I play a true idiot, and they're really fun to play.
When you live in a leading lady's body, which I do, you have to constantly prove that you are funny.
Some big actresses told me a few things that inspired me. One said that the biggest challenge for a female actress was to make sure they are not profoundly bored. Another told me to just do whatever you want - do anything.
I don't stay in my trailer. I like to sit in video village, probably to the annoyance of some producers and directors, because they really love to talk about actors, and they can't in front of me.
I like entertaining people. I want to make big entertainment.
No matter what, I'm in a very small club. There are very few women who have directed studio-level commercial films - very few.
The sexism in Hollywood is not particularly overt - because the system is good at hiding it.
I went to a few really bad commercial auditions because I needed the money, and when you booked a commercial, your life was made: you could eat.
Violence against women is real and something I feel passionately about, and the gateway to all that is wolf whistling. It's allowing a man to impose his will on a woman who is just trying to walk down the street and live her life. It's all about unwanted versus wanted attention, and, of course, there's a fine line.
Honestly, I am hoping to influence young people, and Twitter's a great way to encourage them to lend their voice to the conversation. Any time you can show young people that you support gay friends and that there are gay people in the world who are lovely, happy, singing, and in love, it opens their minds.
I have a gay cousin who came out to my parents before he came out to his own. So I benefited from having a very open, supportive family, and I want to pass that on.