Elizabeth Banks, born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell on February 10, 1974, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is an accomplished American actress, director, and producer. She began her acting career in the late 1990s, making her film debut in "Surrender Dorothy" (1998). Banks gained widespread recognition for her roles in films such as "Wet Hot American Summer" (2001), Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy (2002-2007), "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (2005), and "The Hunger Games" series (2012-2015), where she portrayed Effie Trinket.