October 21-23, 2024
Sand Diego, CA
October 21-23, 2024
San Diego, CA
Schedule Viewer 2023
The 2024 CMWorld Agenda is coming soon! Below you’ll find the 2023 Agenda including topics, speakers, and tracks. Check back soon for 2024 speaker and schedule announcements.
Elizabeth Banks, Actor, Producer, Director
Actor, producer, writer and director Elizabeth Banks is known for roles in both comedy and drama, as well as film and television. Her work includes stand-out performances in projects including THE HUNGER GAMES franchise, LOVE & MERCY, and THE LEGO MOVIE. Banks is also a three-time Emmy nominee for her recurring roles in 30 ROCK and MODERN FAMILY.
Banks most recently produced and directed Universal Pictures’ hit comedy-thriller COCAINE BEAR, which surpassed box office projections. This Summer, Banks will star in Apple TV+’s THE BEANIE BUBBLE alongside Zach Galifianakis and Sarah Snook. Last year, Banks starred in the feature drama CALL JANE alongside Sigourney Weaver, which premiered at Sundance and London Film Festival to rave reviews. She recently wrapped production on A MISTAKE directed by Christine Jeffs (SUNSHINE CLEANING).
In 2020, Banks starred in the FX/Hulu Emmy-nominated Limited Series MRS. AMERICA as ‘Jill Ruckelshaus.’ In 2019, she wrote, directed, appeared in, and produced CHARLIE’S ANGELS and lent her voice again to ‘Wyldstyle’ in THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, the sequel to the 2014 box-office hit THE LEGO MOVIE opposite Chris Pratt. The first film grossed more than $469 million world-wide.
In 2015, Banks returned to her popular role as ‘Effie Trinket’ in THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2. She also appeared in a cameo role in MAGIC MIKE XXL, in the Netflix reprisal of WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER, and hosted NBC’s SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. In 2014, she received critical acclaim for her role as ‘Melinda Wilson’ in LOVE & MERCY, opposite Paul Dano and John Cusack, who both portrayed ‘Brian Wilson.’ The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was directed by Bill Pohlad. She also starred opposite Chris Pine in the drama PEOPLE LIKE US, in the independent drama EVERY SECRET THING written by Nicole Holofcener, in the drama LITTLE ACCIDENTS, and in the comedy, WALK OF SHAME.
Banks’s feature credits include W, in which Banks garnered critical-acclaim for her role as ‘First Lady Laura Bush;’ her breakthrough role in the Academy Award winning film SEABISCUIT, in which she starred as ‘Marcela Howard’ opposite Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges; Haim Saban’s POWER RANGERS, Steven Spielberg’s CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, MAGIC MIKE XXL, OUR IDIOT BROTHER, THE DETAILS, ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, MAN ON A LEDGE, THE NEXT THREE DAYS, ROLE MODELS, MEET DAVE, INVINCIBLE, THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, FRED CLAUS, SISTERS, SLITHER, WALK OF SHAME, HEIGHTS, THE BAXTER, THE TRADE, ORDINARY SINNER, THE UNINVITED, DALTRY CALHOUN, SEXUAL LIFE, John Singleton’s SHAFT, Columbia Pictures’ three blockbuster hit franchise SPIDER-MAN as journalist ‘Betty Brant,’ and the cult hit WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER.
On the small screen, Banks earned three Emmy Award nominations for ‘Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series’ for her performance as ‘Avery Jessup’ on 30 ROCK and her guest appearances as ‘Sal’ on ABC’s MODERN FAMILY. She also appeared in a recurring role as ‘Dr. Kim Porter’ on NBC’s SCRUBS. Banks reprised her role as ‘Lindsay’ in Netflix’s WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER: FIRST DAY OF CAMP and WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER: 10 YEARS LATER. Banks also hosts the hit ABC reboot of PRESS YOUR LUCK.
Banks’s theater credits include many roles in American Conservatory Theatre productions, as well as the Guthrie Theater’s production of SUMMER & SMOKE directed by David Esbjornson. In 2006 Banks played ‘Cherie,’ the female lead in William Inge’s comedy BUS STOP, as part of the Williamstown Theater Festival.
On the production side, Banks made her directorial debut in 2015 with PITCH PERFECT 2 which was the highest opening weekend for a musical in history, the biggest opener for a first-time feature film director, and the second-largest opening for a female director. It also garnered her the ‘Breakthrough Filmmaker of the year’ award at the 2015 CinemaCon Awards. She made her commercial debut directing a 2017 Superbowl television ad for detergent brand Persil. Also in 2017, Banks starred in and produced PITCH PERFECT 3. She produced the PITCH PERFECT franchise through her production company Brownstone Productions, along with her husband Max Handelman.
With an exclusive television deal at Warner Bros. Television and first-look film deal at Universal, Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman’s Brownstone Productions’ slate currently includes multiple film, television and digital collaborations across various networks and studios, including Universal, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, FOX, Freeform, HBO Max, Netflix, Hulu and Peacock. Best known for the global hit PITCH PERFECT franchise and CHARLIE’S ANGELS starring Kristen Stewart, the current film slate includes Emma Seligman’s BOTTOMS at MGM’s Orion Pictures; COCAINE BEAR starring Keri Russell and Ray Liotta, THE PAPERPAG PRINCESS and THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS® at Universal Pictures; INTERNATIONAL SWEETHEARTS OF RHYTHM at Sony Pictures; MISS CONCEPTION at Screen Gems; and WHERE THE FORE ARE WE? with David Wain and FOREIGN RELATIONS starring Nick Jonas at Amazon Studios. On the television side, Brownstone produced the critically-acclaimed series SHRILL at Hulu and PITCH PERFECT: BUMPER IN BERLIN, which was Peacock’s biggest-ever comedy launch. Upcoming television projects include RED QUEEN at Peacock; OVER MY DEAD BODY at Apple TV+; and the adult comedy animated series BEDROCK at FOX, with Banks voicing the role of ‘Pebbles.’
In 2021, Banks signed a multi-project development and first-look deal with Audible, hosting her first podcast MY BODY, MY PODCAST. The six-episode autobiographical series explores topics around sex and sexual health. Banks is the co-owner and chief creative officer of ARCHER ROOSE WINES, a leading artisanal canned wine company which has distribution deals with JetBlue, BevMo, Walmart and other major retailers across the country. Banks is also the co-owner of WHOHAHA, a digital content studio and creative community made up of 5,000 women and gender-expansive creators in comedy.
Originally from Massachusetts, Banks received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her Graduate Degree at the American Conservatory Theater. She is involved with many charities including the Center for Reproductive Rights (where she leads the Center’s Creative Council), LA’s Best, Temple Israel of Hollywood, Planned Parenthood, The First Lady’s Reach Higher Initiative, Heifer International, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and Turnaround Arts. Banks currently resides in Los Angeles.