Elizabeth Banks Was Told She “Can’t Direct Men”: “I Think I Nailed It”

With 3 features nether her loop and 2 connected nan way, Elizabeth Banks precocious opened up astir nan misogyny she’s faced arsenic a female director.

The 4x Emmy nominee opened up astir being told she “can’t nonstop men,” contempt having worked pinch nan precocious Ray Liotta connected nan 2023 acheronian drama scary Cocaine Bear, which she utilized arsenic an example.

“I was virtually told because I nonstop films that, ‘You can’t nonstop men. They won’t travel you,'” said Banks connected The Kelly Clarkson Show. “And past I directed Ray Liotta, who played Henry Hill successful Goodfellas, and I deliberation I nailed it. Check nan database off. It’s each good.”

Banks added, “Despite maine knowing that I’m successful a awesome club, it’s a really mini club, and it needs much representation. We request much storytellers from different perspectives, angles. And we request much audiences to watch. … I’m having a batch of nosy making judge that women person a existent consciousness of agency successful immoderate they’re doing, immoderate stories I’m telling.”

Banks discussed her acquisition directing while promoting her caller Apple TV+ bid The Miniature Wife, successful which she plays a writer who is made to consciousness figuratively mini by her intelligence hubby (Matthew Macfadyen), who accidentally shrinks her to six inches small.

“It’s a very funny show, but what I really was drawn to was, we get to benignant of talk astir a large feeling, which is emotion diminished by a partner,” explained Banks. “Or successful your master life, successful your romanticist life, I deliberation we each person that relatable acquisition of being made to consciousness mini each erstwhile successful a while. And successful this case, it’s literal and physical, and we get to benignant of look astatine that from an absurdist lens, but talk astir immoderate large issues that I deliberation group understand.”

In summation to Cocaine Bear, Banks has directed Charlie’s Angels (2019), Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) and a short successful 2013’s Movie 43.