Elizabeth Banks Quotes

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

I'm very genetically blessed; I cannot deny it, but I work hard at keeping myself together. Yes, I have nice cheekbones and skinny legs, but I can't take any credit for it.

- Elizabeth Banks

Someone told me that having a baby is like having your heart walking around outside of your body, and I didn't understand it until I had a baby. Now, like, everything he does literally crushes my heart. In a great way. And then if he's in pain, it's like my whole endeavor is to make sure he's not in pain.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

One predictor for divorce is contempt, which to me is just another word for disrespect.

- 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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.'

- Elizabeth Banks

I went to drama school. I'm classically trained; I studied Shakespeare, blah blah blah. But I always preferred to do Oscar Wilde, or Shakespeare's comedies over his dramas.

- Elizabeth Banks

I love physical comedy. I love Oscar Wilde, I love Shakespeare comedies, I love improv.

- Elizabeth Banks

I played softball. I was on an all-star team. I traveled with the team. I loved it.

- Elizabeth Banks

Predicting what content is going to fly is like looking into a crystal ball. I try not to say, 'Yeah, 'Bridesmaids' opened the door to make more movies about women.' I mean, did it? I don't know; where are they?

- Elizabeth Banks

I'm not a particularly shiny, happy person. I'm fairly cynical, and that's what draws me to comedy.

- Elizabeth Banks

When I was coming up, it was the golden age. It was Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan, and Reese Witherspoon was starting. You really had, 'Who is America's Next Sweetheart?' every couple of years. And then this sort of bromance slacker thing took over.

- Elizabeth Banks

Klutziness is endearing. I like imperfection.

- Elizabeth Banks

I had an audition for Mary Jane Watson in 'Spiderman' and ended up playing Betty Brant in that series. I auditioned for Amy Adams' role in 'Catch Me If You Can' and, you know, ended up playing the bank teller. So there were a lot of times early on where I felt like I was always sort of the bridesmaid, never the bride - never quite right.

- Elizabeth Banks

I can hang with the dudes because I love beef and baseball and driving fast and flirting. I understand where men are coming from, and I'm interested in typically male endeavors. But I can also wear the short skirt and cheerlead.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

Normally for photo shoots I get a full wax, some tanning, a facial.

- Elizabeth Banks

I do this system called TRX. It was developed by a Navy SEAL and is basically a simple cord that you can wrap around something anywhere, anytime, and you use your body weight as resistance. We installed one in our home gym, but you can also attach it to a tree. It's very easy to travel with.

- Elizabeth Banks

Most men I know rely on women to do all the literal dirty work.

- Elizabeth Banks

Portion control is a real problem. My husband and I always split one appetizer and one entree. I'm sure waiters hate us.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

I only know the lyrics to songs that I listened to between the ages of 11 and 15.

- Elizabeth Banks

No matter what, I'm in a very small club. There are very few women who have directed studio-level commercial films - very few.

- Elizabeth Banks

I love stories about misfits and underdogs.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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!

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

I try not to repeat myself too often, but it's a gamble. 'Fred Claus' had three Oscar winners in it. No business - it was a bad movie.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

What I love about Twitter specifically is that reciprocity is not guaranteed, nor expected. In other words, I can go one way. I can put things out. I don't have to respond to everybody.

- Elizabeth Banks

'Hunger Games' is a tried-and-true tale about a totalitarian society. It's more similar to China than America, but it's also similar to Nazi Germany and anywhere where the populace gets semi-brainwashed into serving the agenda of a very few.

- Elizabeth Banks

My father always made an amazing meatloaf, and I've inherited his skill. Leftover meatloaf in a sandwich? Come on!

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

I grew up sort of lower working class. And I just didn't want to have the money struggles that my parents had. You know, I could just - as loving an environment I grew up in - and I grew up in a great home, a very loving home - but, you know, we had that stress. We had that stress in our life.

- Elizabeth Banks

I actually think that secrets are just a part of human nature and that everybody should have some.

- Elizabeth Banks

I secretly harbor the fantasy of becoming an action star at any moment. I know I'd be great at it.

- Elizabeth Banks

I directed plays in college. It's something that I have sort of always put in the back of my mind, and I'm a busy actress, and it's very difficult to sort of find the time, honestly, to commit to directing. It's a very - it's a big, big job.

- Elizabeth Banks

The great thing about Twitter is, you get a lot back, and I read through a lot, and I want my fans to know that I do read a lot, and it's why I do respond or retweet clever posts, and I'm constantly amazed by the cleverness of people on Twitter.

- Elizabeth Banks

I think people respond to me as a down-to-Earth, girl-next-door person, because I am one of those people. That's something I don't have to act very hard at.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

I have such a respect for comedy. It's a lot harder than doing drama, in my opinion; you have to have sort of an innate sense of humor. There are rules to comedy you can learn. But ultimately, it really does require a certain point of view on the world, and that really does appeal to me.

- Elizabeth Banks

I suppose the best advice I ever got, frankly the advice that changed my life, came from my uncle who told me to go to drama school and study acting instead of taking a job, because he said the job would always be there.

- Elizabeth Banks

'Pitch Perfect 2,' those scenes are super fun. It's just me and John Michael Higgins, and we've been friends for so long, we just have the best time. Anything I do with him is some of my favorite stuff.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

These properties that get made into movies, some are easier than others. When they first said, 'Yeah, they're making a movie out of Lego,' I said, 'Lego what? What does that even mean?' And it's such a good concept.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

I'm a physical comedian, and I don't get to show it off very often.

- Elizabeth Banks

All through my twenties, I lived in very walkable cities - Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York.

- Elizabeth Banks

I'm a good role model. I have an amazing marriage, and it will be long lasting. I think I'm a good mom. I could run for office, no problem, because there are no skeletons in my closet.

- Elizabeth Banks

My acting gives me my self-worth.

- Elizabeth Banks

'Thank you' is often an admission that you needed something that wasn't being fulfilled or you couldn't do on your own, so you needed someone else. There is also guilt. We think, 'Well, too much time has gone by, and it doesn't matter,' but it does. It always matters.

- Elizabeth Banks

Producing never stops. It's 24/7.

- Elizabeth Banks

The sexism in Hollywood is not particularly overt - because the system is good at hiding it.

- Elizabeth Banks

I do try to eat healthy, and I find that's easiest when I just avoid the Doritos aisle at the grocery store.

- Elizabeth Banks

I love improv. I do it with my co-star John Michael Higgins in both 'Pitch Perfect' films.

- Elizabeth Banks

I'm afraid of a cappella. I don't read music, and I have a hard time harmonizing. Basically, I'm a melody singer only.

- Elizabeth Banks

I like my coffee light.

- Elizabeth Banks

When I was in college I was accused of being a goody two-shoes. But every goody two-shoes has a bad side.

- Elizabeth Banks

When you live in a leading lady's body, which I do, you have to constantly prove that you are funny.

- Elizabeth Banks

The only reason ever to make a sequel is to spend more time with the characters that people love: to tell more of their story.

- Elizabeth Banks

I love Prada shoes. I cannot get enough of them. Or Valentino.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

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.

- Elizabeth Banks

Every once in a while I play a true idiot, and they're really fun to play.

- Elizabeth Banks

I like entertaining people. I want to make big entertainment.

- Elizabeth Banks

I think comedy has to be very fearless, or it just gets bland.

- Elizabeth Banks

Sometimes I'm sexy, and sometimes I'm not.

- Elizabeth Banks