The medium of television has been around long enough that, statistically speaking, audiences should already long ago enjoyed a series co-headed by Cheers vet Ted Danson and Married with Children fave Katey Sagal. At least one, if not more. But somehow, the ever-popular actors have yet to share the small screen together. That shocking drought will soon end, thankfully, as Segal has just been added to Danson’s newest show.

And to be sure, this isn’t an instance where Sagal was cast as a one-off character in a flashback episode that has nothing to do with Danson’s role. They’re gonna be hooking up! Maybe not quite the same visuals as that statement would have sparked in 1990, but still.

Sagal was part of one of TV’s most havoc-filled weddings opposite John Goodman in The Conners, and obviously spent more than a decade dolled up opposite Ed O’Neill’s Al Bundy. Now, she’s set to woo Danson in a series rom Will Trent and The Passage co-creator Liz Heldens and Best Medicine and Madam Secretary writer Matt Ward. The still-untitled project is destined for streaming via Apple TV subscription, though without a firm development timeline.

Okay, so technically, the key lead of the new project is Elizabeth Banks, who co-starred with Sagal in 2015’s Pitch Perfect 2. She’s playing a newly divorced woman named Heidi who wants nothing more than to put her past relationship behind her to enjoy greener pastures with her children. Her new path in life is soon disrupted when she “stumbles into coordinating her father’s retirement community sexcapades,” according to the series logline, per Variety.

Sounds like Danson will be bringing the Sam Malone womanizer vibes to the role, albeit the version of Sam Malone that gets AARP discounts. Sagal is set to portray his character’s newest girlfriend Mavis, which sounds like it’s on slightly more solid ground than other sexcapades. Sounds like she’ll be getting down and dirty more than Peggy Bundy ever did. (On top of being a TV mom that never gets enough credit, Peggy was also the somewhat rare sexualized sitcom wife, even if her husband was blind to it.)

Mavis also has a son who’s described as being “perpetually single,” who will be played by the ever-hilarious Rob Delaney (Catastrophe, Bad Monkey). He’ll find himself in an unexpected coalition with Heidi, presumably in regards to their parents’ dalliances. Thumbs up for Banks and Delaney as co-stars, but bigger thumbs up for their fictional parentals.

Sagal has seemingly been as busy as ever in recent years, co-starring in features such as 2025 thriller Trust and this year's rom-com Carousel, while also popping up in shows such as hubby Kurt Sutter's creation The Abandons and NBC's Stumble. She'll soon be back in the beloved role of Turanga Leela when Futurama returns to Hulu, and she's currently working on another new show opposite Jane Lynch. Hopefully that one and the Apple TV series can co-exist without issue. The more Katey Sagal, the better!

You can catch Ted Danson’s excellent work heading up A Man on the Inside via Netflix subscription, which can also be used to stream Katey Sagal’s run on The Conners and in Season 2 of One Piece, which debuted earlier in the 2026 TV schedule. (Not to mention her guest spot in Dead to Me.)

In Hollywood, not everyone is the name they say they are. For example, did you know that Michael Keaton’s real name is Michael Douglas? Vin Diesel was also born Mark Sinclair Vincent, Judy Garland was actually Frances Ethel Gumm and Reese Witherspoon’s first name is actually Laura Jean. The latest I’m learning is that Elizabeth Banks isn’t actually Elizabeth Banks!

The actor and director may be known by Elizabeth Banks, but she was actually born Elizabeth Mitchell. She had to choose a stage name, because there was already another Elizabeth Mitchell by the time she was seeking her Screen Actors Guild membership. You might know the other Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet Burke in Lost or from Outer Banks, First Kill or The Santa Clauses. Anyways, here’s what she thinks of being known as a Banks now:

When Elizabeth Banks recently talked about her stage name with Elle, she said that she decided to stick with her first name because a friend had warned her not to pick anything too “unfamiliar” to her. In terms of her stage last name, she thought about going with her partner, Max Handelman’s surname, but wasn’t yet married to him at the time and didn’t want to “jinx it”.

She came across “Banks” after looking over a number of options that she knew were available and being struck by the “brightness” of the name. Funny enough, her own mother used to work in a bank as well.

Learning how stage names come to be is always an interesting thing, but most of the time it has to do with SAG-AFTRA prohibiting its members from sharing identical working names in order to avoid confusion in credits, allow them to keep their own brand identities and more practical things like maintaining accurate payroll and residuals.

Other examples of popular stars with stage names are Emma Stone for example, who couldn’t officially use “Emily” despite preferring the name. And then there’s Brie Larson, who took inspiration from one of the American Dolls because she found her real last name Desaulniers to be hard to pronounce.

Elizabeth Banks’ latest role is as the star of the new Peacock series, The Miniature Wife. Her next movie is expected to be Signal Hill, a drama about the 1981 police brutality case centering on Johnnie Cochran (played by Anthony Mackie). It doesn’t have a release date yet, but it could land on the 2026 movie schedule. These days, one would have no idea that Elizabeth Banks isn’t really named as such, so clearly she picked well.

The Miniature Wife is a dramedy about a writer (Elizabeth Banks) who’s shrunk to 3 inches tall by her scientist husband, who hasn’t developed a way to reverse it.

• Vibe: Comedy and drama galore. Lindy (Banks) and Les (Matthew Macfadyen) are dealing with this, while also sifting through the complicated power dynamics of their marriage, and parenting their young-adult daughter Lulu (Sofia Rosinsky).
• Required: A sense of humor, an appreciation for adult language (it’s TVMA), really fun props and sets (Lindy takes residence in a dollhouse), a Peacock subscription, time for 10 episodes (each 40-45 minutes before ads).

Ok, if the above wasn’t enough information to help you decide if you want to watch this new 2026 TV show, here are some of my spoiler-free impressions about the series.

Lindy Getting Shrunk Is The Least Of This Couple’s Problems

In this series, created by Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner, Les is working on what he hopes will be his big breakthrough, while his marriage to Lindy – writer of a hugely successful book – hangs by a thread. The strain on their relationship grows proportionally once Lindy is tiny. Given that she’s only 3 inches tall, there’s not a whole lot she can do to improve her situation, besides wait for Les to figure out how to fix her. To say that this impacts the already-complicated power dynamic between these two would be an understatement.

This Show Is Smart and Funny

Between how her character deals with what’s happening and the various scenarios tiny Lindy has to face throughout Season 1, there are so many opportunities for laughs, and The Miniature Wife doesn’t waste a single one. The humor in this series ranges from downright goofy to delightfully witty, playing with Lindy’s situation amidst her grappling with her relationships with her husband, her daughter, her book editor Terry (Sian Clifford), and even, perhaps especially, herself. Banks really was a perfect choice for a role that has to explore all of this and make us laugh at the same time.

Big Drama For This Tiny Character

There's no shortage of drama in this dramedy, and that isn’t limited to Lindy and Les’s marital struggles. Their daughter, Lulu, is dealing with her own issues at school and has felt a disconnect with her mother for a long time. The ups and downs of Lulu and Lindy’s relationship as daughter and mother is honestly one of my favorite parts about the series. What's more, as comical as Lindy's situation may be, the series does a great job of exploring who she is beyond being miniature and a wife, which I absolutely love.

The Sets and Props Are So Spectacular

The Miniature Wife does so many fun things with the sets and props and Lindy’s situation, from having her live in a dollhouse (furnished with things that have also been shrunk down) to using an AirPod like a phone handset while lounging inside the mini Christmas village in her home, to much bigger and wilder scenarios that I can’t get into without being spoilery, I’m obsessed with how this series uses props and sets to give Banks a scaled up playground for her character’s story.

Complicated Character Relationships

I love the relationship Les has with Vivienne (Zoe Lister-Jones), the scientist overseeing the work he’s trying to do, while the clock is literally ticking to figure out how to blow a shrunken object back up to its regular size without actually blowing it up. Vivienne’s a tricky character to figure out, especially considering her interest in Les isn’t entirely limited to the work he’s doing.

Meanwhile, Lindy’s relationship with Richard (O-T Fagbenle) is messy and hilarious. If you only know Fagbenle from The Handmaid’s Tale, be prepared to see a different, much funnier (and occasionally unhinged) side of him, as his character, Richard, is a scientist who works with Les and is infatuated with Lindy.

Bottom Line

As you might be able to tell, I’m a fan of this show. I love the characters, I love the way it explores the power dynamics within a marriage between two smart, driven people, and I love the humor. I think I was about halfway through Season 1 when I stopped to check to see how many episodes there were because I was enjoying it so much and hoped it wasn't ending anytime soon. Ten isn’t what we’d call a lot of eps, but it’s the right amount to tell this story, and I really hope the series is picked up for Season 2. As satisfying as Season 1 is, there are definitely places it could go if the show were to continue.

For the past seven years, Elizabeth Banks has been a primetime TV staple as the host of the beloved game show Press Your Luck, but her latest project really puts the “small” in “small screen.” She’s heading up the new genre mash-up series The Miniature Wife, which also co-stars Succession’s Emmy-winning vet Matthew Macfadyen. It’s a show with lots of big ideas for its tiny main character, and you can read on to learn how to watch the new show from anywhere, and to learn more details about the season.

How To Watch The Miniature Wife In The U.S.

Produced by Media Res and Elizabeth Banks' own Brownstone Production, The Miniature Wife is debuting on NBCU's streaming service Peacock, starting on Thursday, April 9. All 10 episodes hourlong episodes are available to stream after its debut.

A Peacock subscription is the best way to watch not only The Miniature Wife, but also hundreds of hours of other NBCUniversal TV content, from The Office to Ted to Love Island, as well as hit movies like Wicked for Good and Five Nights at Freddy's 2.

Currently traveling outside the U.S.? The biggest move you can make to watch The Miniature Wife is to subscribe to a VPN that can allow anyone to connect to their paid-subscription service regardless of their location in the world.

How To Watch The Minature Wife Anywhere

If you're a U.S. citizen who's traveling elsewhere in the world, there's nothing stopping you from streaming The Miniature Wife, as the series is streaming in various spots around the globe.

In Canada, the dramedy is streaming via the platform Crave in Canada.

In the UK, fans can watch the show on SKY TV or through the streaming service NOW.

For those wanting to wach elsewhere. a VPN will aid in aligning viewers with their own subscription service plans.

How To Use A VPN To Unblock Streaming Services

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN

2. Connect to a server – for those based in the U.S., an American server would be ideal.

3. Go to the stream you wish to access – for The Miniature Wife, head to Peacock.

The Miniature Wife Quick Facts

What Is The Miniature Wife About?

If Honey I Shrunk The Kids was as much about the adult couple's marriage as it was about kids surviving backyard horrors, it might be in the same ballpark as The Miniature Wife. The new series centers on married couple Lindy LIttlejohn, a popular author, and Les LIttlejohn, the creator of a high-tech device that accidentally shrinks LIndy down to a six-inch height.

The power imbalance that already existed between the two is magnified exponentially after the accident, and the show explores how their relationship can survive (assuming it deserves to) under such dire and unique circumstances. The show is based on the short story from author Manuel Gonzales.

The Miniature Wife Cast And Creators

• CREATORS: Jennifer Ames & Steve Turner
• Elizabeth Banks
• Matthew Macfadyen
• O-T Fagbenle
• Zoe Lister-Jones'
• Sian Clifford
• Sofia Rosinsky
• Ronny Chieng
• Aasif Mandvi
• Rong Fu
• Tricia Black

The Miniature Wife Episodes And Release Dates

• Episode 1: "Lady Tomato And Mr. F. Tomato-Head" - April 9
• Episode 2: "Merry Christmas, Lindy!" - April 9
• Episode 3: "What Category Is Shrinking Your Wife" - April 9
• Episode 4: "Don't Freak Out!" - April 9
• Episode 5: "Delusional" - April 9
• Episode 6: "Happy New Year, Les!" - April 9
• Episode 7: "Hurricane Les" - April 9
• Episode 8: "Gone into the Heart of Darkness" - April 9
• Episode 9: "Janet Reno" - April 9
• Episode 10: "A Tiny Big Idea" - April 9

The Hunger Games movies are a popular franchise, serving as a book-to-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novels. While Panem was away from theaters for a few years, that changed with the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which arrived in theaters in 2023. Another prequel movie is heading to theaters with Sunrise on the Reaping, which will follow Haymitch Abernathy in the 50th Hunger Games. Lots of actors are playing younger versions of beloved characters, including Oscar nominee Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket. And Elizabeth Banks recently reacted to handing off the baton to the Sentimental Value actress.

What we know about Sunrise on the Reaping is limited, although fans of the novel are gearing up for the emotional gut punch of its ending. The cast of Sunrise on the Reaping is stacked, including Elle Fanning. During a recent interview with Variety, Banks opened up about seeing her as Effie in the first footage, offering:

What a class act. Rather than feeling a sense of ownership over Effie or FOMO that someone else is playing her on the big screen, Elizabeth Banks seems to be all-in on Elle Fanning playing her signature role. I mean, you've got to admit that she looks great in the Sunrise on the Reaping teaser.

This isn't the first time the Pitch Perfect star praised Elle Fanning's casting, in fact, Banks revealed she texted the producers with her approval when the news broke. Fanning's casting is also a fan dream come true, especially after her recent Oscar nomination.

When the Hunger Games prequel arrives in theaters, we'll be seeing a younger Effie who is still very young into her career. That means that she hasn't been moved enough to join the Resistance, as shown in the later movies. She's also expected to face off against Glenn Close's Drusilla Sickle, who is District 12's chaperone at the time of the 50th Games. As a reminder, you can see the teaser below:

Of course, Effie isn't the only familiar character we'll be seeing in the forthcoming Hunger Games prequel. In addition to Josh Zada's Haymitch Abernathy, we'll meet younger versions of Plutarch Heavensbee, President Snow, Caesar Flickerman, Wiress, Beetee, and Mags. The movie will offer some much-needed backstory, including how the latter Victors ended up as the way we met them in the original series.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters on November 20th as part of the 2026 movie release list. And with the movie getting closer to its release, smart money says we'll be treated to more footage soon.

Some of the best Jennifer Lawrence movies earned her Oscar buzz, but she's perhaps best known for starring in the book to screen adaptation of The Hunger Games. She played Katniss Everdeen for four movies, helping her become a household name in the process. She had some learning experiences along the way, including when she accidentally took an ambien before filming a scene with late actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Catching Fire. She recently explained the story behind that snafu, which included her "hallucinating" while shooting one particular sequence in the sequel.

When ranking the Hunger Games movies, usually Catching Fire is high up thanks to the way it expanded the world of Panem. In a conversation with Leonardo DiCaprio for Variety and CNN's Actors on Actors series, Lawrence spoke about one particularly challenging day filming after making a mistake with her medication. As she told Leo:

Yikes. Ambien is a powerful drug that's used to help put people asleep, and it can cause some very strange behavior if the user is trying to stay awake while the medication is in affect. So accidentally taking one while at the top of the call sheet in a major movie franchise is pretty much the thing of nightmares. Indeed, J Law had a challenging day of filming as a result. She shared the specific scene that was being filmed during that fateful day, saying:

Hoffman was a legendary performer, so this certainly sounds less than ideal. On top of having to shoot dialogue at President Snow's party in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, she also had to dance with the late actor as well as Peeta himself Josh Hutcherson. In her conversation with DiCaprio he was shocked, thanks to how altered one typically is on Ambien. She confirmed that it was a huge challenge, confirming:

While Catching Fire would release the same year Jennifer Lawrence won an Oscar for Silver Lining's Playbook, she was still having some big learning moments. That includes what happened when she accidentally took a sleeping pill in the morning rather than at night.

Later in her chat with Leonardo DiCaprio, the star of the X-Men movies revealed that her inability to memorize and understand the scene in Catching Fire led to some tension on the set. Particularly with Effie Trinket actress Elizabeth Banks. As she put it;

Oops. Lawrence and Banks would go on to film two more Hunger Games movies together, so it doesn't seem like this soured their relationship. But this particular day on set was a challenging one, and it was during a massive sequence with extras and much of the starring cast including Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, and Elizabeth Banks.

Upon re-watching this scene Lawrence doe seem low energy, but you wouldn't know that she was struggling so hard while filming. I have to assume this was a big learning experience and she is careful about labeling her medications nowadays.

Jennifer Lawrence's latest movie Die My Love is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list. And luckily for Hunger Games fans she'll reprise her role as Katniss in Sunrise on the Reaping on November 20th.

Ever since The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping was announced, it’s become one of our most-anticipated upcoming book adaptations, and getting all the casting news over the past few months has only added to the hype. I mean, Elle Fanning being chosen to play Effie Trinket is literally a fan’s dream come true! As we anticipate the movie’s release next year, Fanning has shared how the OG Effie, Elizabeth Banks, reached out to congratulate her on taking on the role.

Elle Fanning was at San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend to promote her next movie, Predator: Badlands. When she was asked about her next role in Hunger Games, she revealed how Banks welcomed her to the part. In her words:

Now, that’s just too good! In Fanning’s interview with Entertainment Tonight, she said that Banks sent her flowers after she was cast in the role in May along with the most on-brand note. As she also shared:

Previously, Elizabeth Banks reacted to the news by saying that she thinks Fanning is “perfect” for the role in Sunrise on the Reaping. The new Hunger Games installment takes place 24 years before the original story where we first meet Effie and she pulls Katniss and Peeta’s names at the Reaping ceremony. When we see Effie in the prequel focused on Haymitch’s Hunger Games, we’ll meet her through her sister Proserpina, who is part of the Hunger Games prep team.

Effie Trinket is one of many returning Hunger Games characters that will be depicted in Sunrise on the Reaping. Other notable casting decisions in this category have included Ralph Fiennes being tapped to play President Snow, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Jesse Plemons playing Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee Latier and Maya Hawke as Wiress.

It’ll be exciting to see Effie Trinket in this era of the Hunger Games during the events of the 50th Games when she meets Haymitch Abernathy for the first time. There are so many scenes from the book for Sunrise on the Reaping we can’t wait to see come to life, including Effie’s key moments -- however, we won't spoil those here.

The movie is being directed by Francis Lawrence, who previously helmed the last four movies of the franchise. It reportedly started filming in July, but Elle Fanning has yet to join the set. We’re looking forward to seeing her version of Effie Trinket come to life when the movie hits theaters on November 20, 2026.

Over the years, I’ve watched Wet Hot American Summer more times than I can count. Seriously, it has to be dozens of times between random bits on cable or multiple screenings with my wife over the years. I recently went back and rewatched the iconic summer camp movie about the final day of Camp Firewood’s 1981 season, and there are so many random thoughts I can’t get out of my head.

From the absurdity of David Wain’s semi-autobiographical R-rated comedy to the outrageously talented cast to the fact that Paul Rudd hasn’t aged since 2001, there’s a lot to unpack here.

It's Crazy How Many Of The Actors Became Massive Stars

Watching Wet Hot American Summer in 2025 is a wild experience, and not just because this movie is straight-up bonkers. I mean, just look at the cast. You’ve got everyone from The State who’ve gone on to find success, but also Bradley Cooper and Amy Poehler are in the mix, both of whom have become top A-listers since the film’s release.

Andy Killed At Least Four Kids, Right?

Paul Rudd’s Andy is probably the most non-Paul Rudd character the actor has ever given us. Not only is he sassy, sulky, annoying, and flaky, but he also killed at least four kids – two from drowning and two by throwing them out of a van at a high rate of speed. Dude is a menace!

The 'Going Into Town' Scene Is The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Whenever I go back to watch Wet Hot American Summer, the scene I always look forward to the most is the “Going Into Town” sequence. It starts off harmless enough, but quickly devolves into a manic, depressing, and incredibly dark few minutes.

'It's Always Fun To Get Away From Camp, Even For An Hour' Kills Me

One thing I love about the “Town” sequence is when the counselors come back from robbing old ladies, stealing sixers, and joining a Trainspotting situation, it’s revealed they were only gone for an hour.

I Still Can't Figure Out How Old The Counselors Are Supposed To Be

I’m not talking about the Wet Hot American Summer: First Day at Camp miniseries years after the movie’s release, where the cast didn’t care how old they looked. This is more of an honest question. Are the counselors adults? Teenagers? Both? It’s all over the place here.

Wet Hot American Summer Takes All The Best Camp Movie Tropes And Mashes Them Together For A Gonzo Experience

Wet Hot American Summer takes movies like Meatballs, Ernest Goes to Camp, and countless others, combines them, and spits out some gonzo amalgamation of those classics. It’s off-kilter, and that’s what makes it so weird and fun.

I Still Don't Understand How Henry And The Nerdy Kids Were Going To Change Skylab's Path, But I'll Allow It

Alan Shemper (Michael Showalter) with his standup routine at the Camp Talent Show is great in Wet Hot American Summer, but it’s the response from the campers and counselors that makes it so ridiculous. The exaggerated laughter just gets crazier and crazier as his routine continues.

I Still Don't Understand How Henry And The Nerdy Kids Change Skylab's Path, But I'll Allow It

There are so many random subplots in Wet Hot American Summer, and one of the most bonkers is the one involving ASSOCIATE Professor Henry Newman (David Hyde Pierce) and a group of nerds trying to prevent a piece of Skylab from falling on the camp. I don’t get it, and I think that’s the point.

But Was That Steve Who Saved The Day With His Weather Manipulation?

Henry and company might have had a hand in saving the camp, but I totally think it was Steve (Kevin Sussman) and his wind manipulation that stopped the piece of space junk from falling on the talent show.

'You Taste Like A Burger' Is The Most Ridiculous Way Of Breaking Up With Someone

Andy and Lindsay (Elizabeth Banks) have a budding romance in Wet Hot American Summer until the annoying counselor tells his make-out buddy that she tastes like a burger before calling things off. Ice cold!

I Can't Get Over The Fact That Chris Meloni Was In Wet Hot American Summer, Law & Order SVU, and Oz At The Same Time

At a single point in the early 21st century, Christopher Meloni was playing Gene the cook in Wet Hot American Summer, Chris Keller on Oz, and Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU. I have nothing to add; this is just wild to think about.

Victor's Arc Is Both Hilarious And Heartbreaking, But Mostly Hilarious

Ken Marino’s Victor in Wet Hot American Summer has perhaps the film’s most over-the-top, hilarious, and heartbreaking arc, especially after going from thinking he was going to hook up with a girl to wrecking a van to running back to camp to nearly dying in the woods to finding said girl with another guy. At least he has great hair.

I Love The Fact That The "9, 9:30" Reunion Joke Paid Off 16 Years Later In The Netflix Series

There’s a great scene where the counselors talk about getting back together 10 years later, which they do in the 2017 Netflix miniseries, where they do the greatest thing ever by acknowledging the joke from long ago.

Paul Rudd Playing A Sassy Teenager Is Just Too Good Here

Paul Rudd’s Andy isn’t the most likable character. Heck, he’s not even Rudd’s best role. However, the Clueless actor perfectly pulled off the sassy, arrogant, and rude teenager better than just about anyone else.

Beth Waiting 10 Seconds To Meet Henry At The Picnic Table Is Such A Great Yet Overlooked Moment

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good time-based bit, and Wet Hot American Summer features an all-time great when Henry tells Beth (Janeane Garofalo) to wait around 10 seconds before walking over to him. And she does. It’s silly, it’s unnecessary, and it’s hilarious.

Seriously, The Number Of Kids In Peril Here Is Wild

Kids driving motorboats, kids getting thrown out of cars, kids almost getting crushed by space junk, the movie has it all… including a group of kids on a river trip by themselves that ends with them going over a cliff.

The Motorcycle Chase Scene Is Just Too Much, And I Love It

Neil (Joe Lo Truglio) chasing Victor on a motorcycle after his fellow counselor abandoned him and a van of campers is just too much. The tonal shift of the film, the visual of a man outrunning a motorcycle with little to no effort, tand he obstacles that prove to be too much for Neil. All of it is wonderfully absurd.

The Deconstruction Of The 'Unlikely Team Of Misfits' Trope Is Top-Notch Comedy

Just when you think Wet Hot American Summer is going to take a cue from the great kids sports movies with its “unlikely team of misfits” speech, the movie throws the trope out the window, and the big game with a rival camp is called off at the last minute.

Coop Storming Off, Getting Caught In A Bucket, Slipping On A Banana Peel, And Landing In A Pool Is Peak Physical Comedy

The physical comedy in this movie is top-notch, and that’s especially true in the scene where an upset Coop gets caught in a bucket, slips on a banana peel, and then lands in a small pool is peak form.

Can We Talk About That Training Montage?

There are so many great movies with intense training scenes, and I feel weird including Wet Hot American Summer. However, that’s very much the case here with the random montage of Gene turning Coop from a teenager into a man. It’s just great!

The Talking Can Of Mixed Vegetables Scene Is So Random, But It Makes Sense In A Movie Like This

The incredible H. Jon Benjamin voicing a can of mixed vegetables in Wet Hot American Summer is one of the oddest things I’ve seen in a movie. I know, his backstory is explained in the 2015 Netflix series, but spending the better part of two decades not knowing if this was real or not was quite an experience.

Ben And McKinley's Wedding Scene Is Hilarious But Also Poignant

Ben (Bradley Cooper) and McKinley’s (Michael Ian Black) wedding is both hilarious (Amy Poehler’s flute playing) and poignant, and is handled in a meaningful and purposeful way. No notes.

The Number Of Times My Wife And I Watched This Movie When We First Started Dating Is Shocking

Back when Wet Hot American Summer was a staple on Netflix, my wife and I would watch it all the time. I’ve honestly lost count of how many times we’ve gone back to Camp Firewood over the years. Not so much now with the three kids, but back in our younger days, it was a monthly staple.

Gail Von Kleinenstein Turning Arts & Crafts Into A Therapy Session Perfectly Captures The Adult Experience

Molly Shannon’s Gail Von Kleinenstein turning her arts & crafts hour into an unorthodox and mortally questionable therapy session is honestly one of the quirks about this movie that makes it so great. Yeah, there are some ethical questions to answer, but let’s not think about those.

Arty Solomon Could Very Well Be My Favorite Character

The first time I watched Wet Hot American Summer, I thought Arty Solomon was just your normal radio-obsessed camper. However, he’s anything but. Over the years, the stinky camper who refuses to bathe or live in our reality (his microphone isn’t plugged in) has become my favorite character.

Beth And Henry Looking At Highly Specific Sections In The Library Is Too Good

The budding romance between Beth and Henry is one of the charms of Wet Hot American Summer and a subplot I love to revisit from time to time. What I love about it is the way in which it takes what could be a very straightforward love affair but turns the wonkiness up a bit. One of the best moments in this romance comes when they are both at the library at the same time (not knowing it, though), looking at very specific sections – Beth is looking at astrophysics (which isn’t that odd) while Henry glances over books on being a camp director.

I Didn't Realize Henry And Niles From Frasier Were Played By The Same Actor For Nearly A Quarter-Century

Hi, it’s me, I’m the guy who didn’t know that Niles from Frasier and Henry from Wet Hot American Summer were played by the same guy until 2025. Carry on…

My Summer Camp Was Nowhere As Fun As Camp Firewood, And I Think I Missed Out

I went to an overnight camp in central Louisiana for a few years when I was younger, and things were never as crazy as they were in Wet Hot American Summer. Sure, the counselors were up to no good at times, but we didn’t have a boat, or river trips, or talking cans of veggies. I feel like I was missing out.

Katie's Big Turn On Coop At The End Is Something

The whole movie, it feels like Katie (Marguerite Moreau) has a thing for Coop, and that they’ll eventually end up together before the movie ends. While that is partially true, the love of Coop’s young life informs him at the last second that she just wants to be friends before riding off with Andy in some random guy’s car. Brutal!

Susie's Meltdown About The Talent Show Is Some Of Amy Poehler's Best Work

Susie, the director and choreographer of the musical at the talent show, is one of the most outrageous characters in Wet Hot American Summer, especially when it comes to the production she’s putting on with Ben. Her meltdown when she suspects Beth is trying to sabotage her project is so out of left field. Honestly, it’s some of her best work, which is saying something.

The Search For Victor Is So Chaotic, So Random, And So Awesome

The scene near the end of the movie, where Beth and Neil go insane looking for Victor so he can save the campers from going over a cliff, is nuts. They run wild all over the camp, not listening to anyone or reason, and it creates a chaotic cap on an already wild movie.

I Remember Watching This Movie As A Kid And Just Not Getting It

I first watched Wet Hot American Summer when I was like 13 years old, and I remember just not getting it at the time. Years later, it’s one of my favorite movies.

When it comes to creating upcoming book-to-screen adaptations, ensuring you pick the right actors to portray the characters is always challenging. For Amazon Prime Video's The Better Sister, the two leads are Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks. While everyone has been saying they look like actual siblings for years, the two all-stars opened up about actually playing them for the first time – and the showrunner talks about how it was like "lightning struck."

When I had the chance to speak to the actors about playing sisters and the experience behind it after years of comparisons, their answers were everything. Banks said it was so easy to sink into that sister role because it was fun between the two of them:

Biel admitted that she never could have imagined anyone else taking on the role of Nicky, and that when she found out, she was ecstatic:

What a series for these two to star in. The Better Sister is an excellent Amazon Prime series based on the novel of the same name, and premieres as part of the 2025 TV schedule. It tells the tale of two wildly different sisters entangled in a court case that turns their lives upside down.

It's a significant leading role for Banks, showcasing her dramatic prowess alongside Biel, and the two actresses play the part of sisters perfectly. Co-showrunner Olivia Milch jokingly said that she and her fellow showrunner, Regina Corrado, felt "brilliant" when they put their pictures together, and that they were just so lucky to pair these two:

The showrunner continued by saying that to Biel and Banks, playing sisters just "made sense" because it felt so "natural":

It feels like this has been years in the making. While it's always fun to imagine seeing these two actresses in other roles – like Jessica Biel and her crazy Notebook audition or Elizabeth Banks begging to be in The White Lotus – there's something so gratifying about seeing them together now in The Better Sister. It's intense and funny at times, and perfectly suited for them.

You can check out all eight episodes of The Better Sister with an Amazon Prime subscription. And trust me, you're going to want your popcorn for this one – you won’t be able to stop watching.

The Hunger Games movies were wildly popular, and is of the best book to screen adaptations of all time. Panem returned to theaters with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and fans are hyped for the forthcoming movie version of Sunrise on the Sunset. The cast is coming together, and it was recently revealed that Elle Fanning will play the role of Effie Trinket in the prequel. And now OG Effie Elizabeth Banks has reacted to that casting.

What we know about the Sunrise on the Reaping movie is limited, but director Francis Lawrence is bringing together a truly stacked cast. Fans were thrilled when Fanning was cast as Effie, but what does Banks think about it? While speaking with People at the premiere of her new TV show, the Pitch Perfect star shared her reaction. In her words:

It looks like the odds are in Elle Fanning's favor, as her predecessor totally approves of her casting. Those of us who read Sunrise on the Reaping were thrilled when the beloved character popped back up, and the Maleficent alum seems like a great choice to bring Effie back to life on the big screen.

As previously mentioned, casting for the Hunger Games prequel have been pretty fire. That includes Jesse Plemons playing Plutarch, and (more recently) Oscar-winning actor Kieran Culkin landing the role of Caesar Flickerman. In the same interview, Banks shared her excitement about Sunrise on the Reaping.

While Sunrise on the Reaping is a story from Haymitch's POV, it also offered origins for a number of other beloved Hunger Games characters. That includes Effie, Beetee, Wiress, and Mags. But we'll have to keep spoilers away from Elizabeth Banks, as the director/writer admitted she hasn't actually read the new book. As she shared:

While Sunrise on the Reaping is a quick read, we can't blame Banks for not flying through Suzanne Collins' latest addition to the Hunger Games franchise. She's in the midst of promoting her new TV series The Better Sister (which will be available with an Amazon Prime subscription), in addition to whatever other projects she has going on. We'll just have to wait and see her reaction to Effie's role in the prequel.

Despite fan excitement, we're going to have to wait to see the next Hunger Games. Because rather than being on the 2025 movie release list, Sunrise on the Reaping is currently expected to hit theaters on November 20th, 2026.

Fan casting can be a very dangerous game, as going against the court of public opinion can be an uphill battle for any project. Seeing as we’re talking about more casting from The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, that sort of prospect feels a bit more daunting for this upcoming book-to-movie adaptation. Maybe not today, though, as the role of young Effie Trinket has officially been given to a top choice, and I’m sure fans are going to love this.

As you may have already guessed, the casting announcement for director Francis Lawrence’s next Hunger Games film has made it official. Dear readers, as you’ll see in the video below, our new Effie is none other than Elle Fanning:

Succeeding Elizabeth Banks in the role she originated through the original Hunger Games trilogy, Fanning is someone that the fanbase has been calling for some time. Her time on one of the best Hulu original series - The Great - proves it, as she carries in a practically Effie way throughout that show’s run.

If you don’t trust my very professional assessment, don’t worry. Someone put together a TikTok fan edit of Banks and Fanning that really shows the resemblance, and I’m sure it’ll skyrocket in popularity as a result of this joyous casting. Plus, this fancasting has been going viral for weeks now, with people even making their own fake casting announcements for Effie and posting them on TikTok.

That’s saying something, as the recent run of announcements also includes Sunrise on the Reaping’s Ralph Fiennes casting as the new President Snow. And just as that move has been celebrated, the inclusion of others such as Jesse Plemons' young Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr.'s Beetee, and Maya Hawke's Wiress have also been met with some pretty solid enthusiasm.

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they really need to rewatch Catching Fire about now? I'm sure fans are echoing those sentiments, as well as starting to flood the internet with their own messages of happiness for Elle Fanning. What better way to start that very tide of excitement than Ms. Fanning sharing a pretty awesome Instagram reaction, which doubles as an official seal of approval from Elizabeth Banks:

Much like Rachel Zegler’s reaction to the Fiennes news, it’s fun to see previous stars of the Hunger Games movies cheering on the new kids on the block. Plus, since we already know that the readers of Suzanne Collins’ YA dystopian franchise are already in the bag, Elle Fanning will undoubtedly carry those good tidings into a magnificent performance.

Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see those results. As things currently stand, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will take its place in the spotlight on November 20, 2026.

I woke up this week and Elizabeth Banks had combined two of my favorite things: Ripping on Gen Z’s fashion choices and paying homage to The White Lotus. She took to Instagram to lament the return of the low-rise jean using Parker Posey’s epic White Lotus Season 3 monologue to complement her point, and I am feeling every ounce of this video right now.

Here’s what happened. In her own unique and typically hilarious style, Elizabeth Banks put together a reel lamenting the return of low rise jeans (a move which we can all thank Gen Z’s recent obsession with the noughties, or as I, a millennial, would say, the early aughts, for bringing back into our lives). The video’s really funny for anyone feeling a little icky about the return of flaunting one's pillowy belly fat.

I suppose this was inevitable the moment Carmen Electra teased a possible return for belly button stickers, but it’s still very much a le sigh from me. Though it's also worth pointing out Banks is also living the pants-free life and avoiding jeans in this post that pays homage to Posey's character's comments after she learns her daughter wants to spend a year in a Thai monastery.

Fans were tickled pink about Elizabeth Banks’ usage of the popular Parker Posey quotes to illustrate her point about “low rise jeans” being “back.” Many of them commented about how the Posey audio totally fit her point in the video. (Though many other fans also noted Banks would be a perfect fit for Mike White’s show.)

• Parker Posey is the medicine we didn’t know we all needed!
• Parker absolutely kills it. She’s on fire.
• Parker Posie in a role she’s already made iconic❣️❣️❣️love this Elizabeth😂
• This is amazing! Parker Posey is so amazing in WL!!!

Listen: I’m long enough in the tooth to know that fashion trends come around again and again and again. I’m also old enough to know that when low rise jeans make a (usually brief) comeback, they will go out again with much less fuss than when they came in, because unless you have a teeny-tiny waist, they look terrible on literally everyone.

Basically, Emily Ratajkowski can probably wear them. But the rest of us are inevitably SOL.

Meanwhile, The White Lotus is still airing on the 2025 TV schedule. Look out for more moments of Parker Posey greatness and hopefully no low rise jeans. Thank goodness it's hot in Thailand.

I cannot count how many times Scrubs has come up when discussing the best TV sitcoms of all time. Over the course of nine seasons (and two networks), the Zach Braff-led medical comedy introduced audiences to some of the most iconic and endearing small-screen characters of the past 25 years, as well as some legendary celebrity guests. With Academy Award winners, Star Wars alumni, and on-the-rise comedians, Sacred Heart Hospital was a hopping place when these 32 actors popped up on Scrubs.

Brendan Fraser

Though Brendan Fraser is best known for roles in movies like The Mummy, The Whale, and Encino Man, the Oscar winner played a small yet pivotal role as Ben Sullivan on Scrubs. Dr. Cox’s (John C. McGinley) brother-in-law, Ben was at the center of several of the best episodes of Scrubs as well as one of the most emotional TV moments of all time. Seriously, Ben is one of the best characters to ever appear on the show, which is saying a lot.

Michael J. Fox

One of several Spin City cast members to show up on Scrubs, Michael J. Fox appeared in a pair of episodes during the show’s third season. Taking on the role of Dr. Kevin Casey, a confident and talented doctor and surgeon dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Ryan Reynolds

Before he was leading some of the best Marvel movies and showing up in great romantic comedies, Ryan Reynolds had a one-off appearance on Scrubs. Showing up in the show’s second season, Reynolds played Spence, J.D. (Zach Braff) and Turk’s (Donald Faison) college friend who comes to visit while in town for a wedding.

Courteney Cox

A few years after Friends came to an end and a few months before Cougar Town premiered, Courteney Cox had a brief fun on Scrubs. During her handful of appearances in the show’s eighth season, Cox played Dr. Taylor Maddox, the new Sacred Heart chief of medicine following Dr. Kelso’s (Ken Jenkins) sudden departure.

Dick Van Dyke

Probably the Scrubs celebrity guest with the most prolific career, Dick Van Dyke showed up for a single episode partway through the show’s second season. The legendary actor/singer/dancer took on the role of Dr. Doug Townshend, a Sacred Heart doctor who no longer wanted to stick around and keep up with technology and decided to retire.

Elizabeth Banks

In terms of guest spots, few actors appeared in as many episodes as Elizabeth Banks. Between Seasons 5 and 8, Banks popped up in a total of 15 episodes as Dr. Kim Briggs, a urologist at another hospital who eventually became the mother of J.D.’s son before it was all said and done.

Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell was just about everywhere in the 2000s, including Scrubs. The In Bruges actor played Billy Callahan, an Irishman who was sticking around to watch over a man he knocked out in a bar fight, partway through Season 4. Though his arrival caused a stir at Sacred Heart, it all eventually worked out in the end.

Aziz Ansari

Before he became one of the biggest comedians on the planet thanks to Parks and Recreation and Master of None, Aziz Ansari had a supporting role on Scrubs. Ansari appeared throughout the show’s eighth season where he played Dr. Ed Dhandapani, one of J.D.’s young interns, and possibly the laziest person at Sacred Heart.

Heather Graham

A major player throughout Scrubs Season 4, Heather Graham took on the role of Dr. Molly Clock, a psychiatrist at Sacre Heart who kept referring to J.D. as “Johnny.” She appeared in nine episodes during her single-season run on the show.

Billy Dee Williams

Billy Dee Williams, of Star Wars and Brian’s Song fame, showed up in a single episode of Scrubs Season 5. But like other guest stars, Williams played himself, or at least a version that was Julie Quinn’s (Mandy Moore) godfather.

Matthew Perry

The late Matthew Perry (appearing alongside his real-life father, John Bennett Perry) showed up for an episode of Scrubs back in the show’s fourth season. In his one-off appearance, Perry played Murray Marks, a man who comes to Sacred Heart Hospital to donate a kidney to his ailing father.

Mandy Moore

Several years before she led another all-time great NBC series, This Is Us, Mandy Moore showed up on Scrubs as Julie Quinn. Though she only appeared on a pair of episodes during the show’s fifth season, Moore’s character made quite an impact on the staff at Sacred Heart, especially J.D. Their romance was short-lived, but one the hopeless romantic doctor wouldn’t forget.

Richard Kind

Harvey Corman is definitely one of the most iconic (and annoying) guest characters on Scrubs, and that’s all thanks to the brilliant work by Richard Kind. A hypochondriac like no other, Corman was in and out of Sacred Heart Hospital with all kinds of issues and medical emergencies throughout Seasons 2 through 4.

Masi Oka

Before having a massive breakout role on Heroes, Masi Oka appeared on Scrubs off and on between Seasons 1 and 4, in which he took on the role of a lab tech named Franklyn. Though he only appeared in a handful of episodes before leaving the show, Oka’s character showed up in some of the most memorable moments in Scrubs history.

Tom Cavanagh

In addition to leading the comedy series Ed, Tom Cavanagh also had a sizable guest spot on Scrubs. Every once in a while, Cavanagh would show up as J.D.’s older brother, Dan Dorian. There for a life, a shoulder to cry on, or an important life lesson, Dan was there for some of his brother’s most trying moments.

Tara Reid

Tara Reid was part of the Scrubs cast for 11 episodes, with all but one coming from the show’s third season. During her run, Reid took on the role of Danni Sullivan, Ben Sullivan’s younger sister, who became one of J.D.’s many girlfriends at one point.

Phill Lewis

Phill Lewis has appeared just about everywhere throughout his prolific TV career, including Sacred Heart Hospital for a stretch. During his run on Scrubs, Lewis portrayed Hooch, an orthopedic surgeon with a wild and dangerous side, to say the very least.

Jason Bateman

Jason Bateman popped up for a single episode of Scrubs during the show’s fifth season. During his one-off appearance, Bateman plays Mr. Sutton, a garbageman who refuses to thank J.D. after being treated.

John Ritter

The late John Ritter showed up in two episodes of Scrubs as Sam Dorian, J.D.’s dad. The cash-strapped and constantly unemployed character had his issues, but still cared deeply for his song.

Taran Killam

Before landing a steady gig on Saturday Night Live, Taran Killam had a recurring role on Scrubs during the show’s penultimate season. Killam took on the role of Jimmy, one of J.D.’s interns at Sacred Heart.

Jimmie Walker

Jimmie Walker, best known for his portrayal of J.J. Evans and his “Dynomite” catchphrase from Good Times, appeared in two episodes of Scrubs. During the show’s first season, Walker played himself as he appeared in two of the J.D.’s signature daydreams.

Sean Hayes

Best known for his roles as Jack McFarland on Will & Grace, Sean Hayes has made a ton of other appearances over the years. This includes Scrubs, where he played Nick Murdoch, an intern whose time at Sacred Heart was shortlived because he couldn’t handle the stress and emotional toll of watching a young patient’s slow demise under his care.

Ricky Schroder

Ricky Schroder’s career got off to a hot start as a child actor, including multiple appearances and a leading role on Silver Spoons, one of the most beloved sitcoms of the ‘80s. That career would continue well into adulthood for the former teenage star, including a four-episode turn on Scrubs. During the show’s second season, Schroder played Paul Flower, a male nurse Elliott Reid (Sarah Chalke) was embarrassed to admit she was dating.

Kelli Williams

If you look at the list of the best TV shows of all time, you’ll find multiple featuring the work of Kelli Williams. In addition to Law & Order, Quantum Leap, The Practice, and Ally McBeal, there’s also Scrubs. During her two episodes back in 2001, Williams played Kristen Murphy, a surgical student at Sacred Heart Hospital.

Cheryl Hines

In the middle of her run as Larry David’s wife on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Cheryl Hines made a brief appearance on Scrubs. During a single episode in the show’s fifth season, Hines played Paige Cox, Dr. Perry Cox’s very religious sister who shows up at Sacred Heart Hospital and forces the temperamental doctor to think about memories he long locked away in the deepest and most secure vaults of his mind.

Dave Foley

Dave Foley, best known for his time on The Kids in the Hall and movies like A Bug’s Life and Toy Story 2, had a pair of appearances on Scrubs during the middle of the show’s nine-season run. Foley took on the role of Dr. Lester Hedrick, a Sacred Heart grief counselor who was like a softer, kinder, and more easy-going mentor for J.D. when compared to the easily angered and annoyed Dr. Cox.

Julianna Margulies

E.R. wasn’t the only NBC-based show set in a hospital to feature the work of Julianna Margulies, as she also popped up on Scrubs for a couple of episodes during the show’s fourth season. But instead of playing a doctor this time, Margulies took on the role of Jenna Broderick, a candidate for the scariest lawyer award. The malpractice attorney had a habit of showing up and causing trouble, especially with J.D. Not much is known about the character’s whereabouts about J.D. put an end to things.

Keri Russell

Keri Russell, best known for her work on shows like Felicity and The Americans, had a short run on Scrubs, appearing in two episodes. In the show’s sixth season, Russell took on the role of Melody O’Harra, Elliott’s sorority sister who shows up and brings her easy-go-lucky personality and philosophy on life to the core group of the cast, but mostly J.D.

Heather Locklear

Heather Locklear added Scrubs to her long list of TV credits when she appeared for a pair of episodes during the show’s second season. During her time on the show, Locklear played Julie Keaton, a pharmaceutical rep who showed up at Sacred Heart Hospital to sell her company’s latest and greatest product. But she got more than she could chew when she started a relationship with Dr. Perry Cox, which provided a short-lived reprieve for everyone who had grown tired of his anger and outbursts while making rounds.

Christopher Meloni

Christopher Meloni played one of the most sadistic prisoners in the Oz cast as well as a dedicated and complicated detective on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but did you know he played a pediatrician on Scrubs? Well, that was the case for an episode during the show’s third season in which he played Dr. David Norris, Dr. Cox and Jordan Sullivan’s (Christa Miller) son’s pediatrician. Though a far stretch from his turn as Chris Keller on the landmark HBO series, Dr. Norris was still a wild card, to say the very least.

Amy Smart

Amy Smart showed up in movies like Varsity Blues, Road Trip, and The Butterfly Effect throughout the late ‘90s and early 2000s, but she also had quite a few TV appearances during that stretch of time. This included a spot on Scrubs as Jamie Moyer, aka “Tasty Coma Wife,” the wife of a car crash victim. This led to one of J.D.’s most ridiculous relationships on the series, which is saying something.

Nicole Sullivan

Mad TV star Nicole Sullivan appeared in a handful of episodes of Scrubs. Sullivan played Jill Tracy, a recurring troubled patient at Sacred Heart who made an impact on everyone she encountered, for better or worse. Her death, which ultimately led to one of the show’s most heartbreaking sequences (it features The Fray’s “How To Save a Life”), is one that had a massive impact on the medical staff for years to come.

Elizabeth Banks is definitely a familiar face in Hollywood today, but it hasn’t always been that way. She’s built her career and success with her production company, Brownstone Productions, been in integral supporting roles that make big blockbusters what they are and filled out comedic ensembles spanning decades. Not to mention that Banks has directed multiple genres, including action. However, only recently has the Charlie's Angels director truly began to land leading roles, which she was recently candid about.

The A-List actress shared with People while talking about the upcoming drama/thriller A Mistake. Based on the comments Elizabeth Banks shared, she's relishing this time in her career but is also fully cognizant of the road it took to get to this point. The Hollywood heavy hitter said the following:

Her resume is no joke either and, given the work that the actress-turned-producer-turned-director has put in, it's about time Tinseltown provided her with the opportunities she so deserves. She is, after all, the person we can thank for helming the hilariously gory comedy Cocaine Bear.

In all seriousness, Elizabeth Banks’ roles have continually crushed it with young and older audiences alike, with Pitch Perfect, The Lego Movie franchise and Wet Hot American Summer being amongst her greatest hits. She also shared how excited she is to be partaking in these roles:

The 50-year-old actress, who isn’t afraid to take chances even in wardrobe, continues to grow and evolve beyond the bounds of our screens, too. The Spider-Man alum has been a public advocate for women’s rights, children’s health and education, having been vocal about each matter. Yet that all still doesn’t detract from her acting career.

More recently, Elizabeth Banks has not one but two movies set for a 2024 movie release schedule -- A Mistake and Skincare. Banks has definitely left behind the days of ingenue roles for much more complex and multidimensional ones. The first of the aforementioned movies revolves around a Kiwi doctor (Banks) letting a colleague operate with some unintended results. And the latter flick is based loosely on real events that are set against the backdrop of the cosmetics world.

In short, the Hunger Games alum has quietly plugged away at her career, making smart moves along the way. Needless to say, I’m glad to see her continuing to move forward and, if the second half of her career is anything like her first, then I'll be truly excited!

If you’d like to catch Skincare, it’s available to rent on Amazon Prime. A Mistake isn’t available to stream yet—make sure to keep an eye on our new and recent streaming Schedule.

Acting and directing are two very different skills, and for someone to be able to do both is a mark of a hard-working and talented person. It doesn't always work out for actors, but it's remarkable how often it does. Here are 32 such examples of great actors who became great directors as well. 

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood's career has lasted an unbelievable eight decades. He started humbling with small roles in the '50s and as the decades have gone on, he's only gotten bigger and bigger. After directing his first movie, 1971's Play Misty for Me, he's gone on to helm a remarkable 39 more and has won 2 Best Director Oscars, for 1993's Unforgiven and 2005's Million Dollar Baby.

Ron Howard

Ron Howard has been in the lives and living rooms of Americans since he was just a kid as an actor on The Andy Griffith Show. He went on to star in Happy Days in the 1970s before directing his first low-budget film, Grand Theft Auto, in 1977. He's since gone on to direct such classics as Splash, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and many others. 

Bradley Cooper

If the start of Bradley Cooper's directing career is any indication, you can expect huge things. So far, the actor-turned-director has only helmed two movies, A Star Is Born and Maestro and both have been nominated for Best Picture Oscars. Not a shabby record. 

Penny Marshall

Penny Marshall got her first big break on the sitcom The Odd Couple but became a household name as Lavern in Lavern & Shirley. She didn't stay in TV though, instead, she started directing and made two of the most beloved Gen X movies of all time, Big and A League of Their Own. 

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck might not have been the first actor you picked to become a director, but his stellar career as an actor is matched by his work as a director. In fact, though he's never won an acting Oscar (something that should be remedied), he did win Best Director for Argo. 

Robert Redford

By the time Robert Redford directed his first movie, Ordinary People, in 1980, he was already one of the most legendary film stars ever. The second half of his career is as known for his directing as it is for his acting, with movies like Quiz Show and A River Runs Through It.

Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau's acting career started humbling with supporting roles in movies like Rudy and PCU. After he wrote and starred in Swingers, his star shined a little brighter. That was only the beginning though. Favreau has the honor of directing the movie that launched the most successful film franchise of all time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Iron Man and its sequel. He's since moved on to Disney live-action remakes with The Lion King and The Jungle Book. Oh, and he also directed one of the most beloved holiday movies ever with. Elf.

Mel Gibson

The controversial career of Mel Gibson began with a small movie that made huge waves in his native Australia. Mad Max made him famous and by the late late-'80s, he was one of the biggest stars in the world. He then moved into directing and reached his pinnacle early with Braveheart for which he won Best Director. 

Richard Attenborough

As an actor, Richard Attenborough starred in massive hits across generations with movies like The Great Escape and Jurassic Park. As a director, he helmed some of the best biopics of all time, like Gandhi, A Cry Freedom, and Chaplin as well a the legendary war flick, A Bridge Too Far. 

Regina King

Regina King's directorial career is only getting started, but judging by her first movie, One Night In Miami, the future is bright. So far, the Academy Award-winning actress has mostly directed TV shows, but you can be sure more films will be coming her way.

Denzel Washington

What can we say about Denzel Washington that hasn't already been said? He's a living legend at this point, as a multiple Oscar winner and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He's also one heck of a director with movies like Fences and The Great Debaters.

John Krasinski

John Krasinski became part of our collective family as Jim on The Office. Who would have thought from that role, his career in Hollywood would reach the point that he is a major power player? Now that he's moved into directing, the sky is truly the limit. The first movie Krasinski directed, The Hollars, made for a humble beginning, but his second, A Quiet Place established him as a force to reckon with and it's since become a franchise.

Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks might not have been an actor you'd have guessed would go into directing, like others on this list, but she has in a big way. She has shown she can direct blockbusters like Pitch Perfect 2 and indie darlings like that one about the bear who indulges in some, uh, white powder he finds, and goes on a rampage.

Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig is quickly becoming a voice of a generation. Her direction and writing of Barbie has been praised far and wide for its snappy dialog and heartfelt message. Gerwig's acting career started in the mid-'00s when she was mostly in smaller, supporting roles. Since moving into directing, she's become a huge star.

Jordan Peele

Key & Peele was a huge hit for Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, and made them both stars. No one expected Peele to turn to directing horror movies, but that's exactly what he did and we should all be grateful for it. With massive hits like Get Out, Nope, and Us, the future is bright for Peele and for all of us too, who will get to watch his work.

Rob Reiner

Though he had a leg up coming from a Hollywood family, Rob Reiner has staked out a claim all his own in the entertainment business. First as an actor on the hit show All in the Family, then as the director of some of the most loved movies of all time. Starting with his first movie, This is Spinal Tap, and running through the '80s and early '90s, he had an unbelievable run that included The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, and Misery. Wow!

George Clooney

Not only is George Clooney one of the most bankable movie stars ever, he's also a fantastic director. His acting career is legendary and his directing career, while not quite at the level of his acting, is still fantastic. He's directed TV (Catch-22) and movies (The Boys In The Boat, The Midnight Sky, Good Night, and Good Luck, among others) and you can be sure there will be more from him.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie's directing career hasn't always gotten the best reviews, but I'd say her movies are very underrated. The talented actress has an eye for behind the camera as well, and movies like Unbroken and First They Killed My Father are powerful movies.

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton's acting career came on as a slow burn to fame, but his directing career started with a band. His first film was a masterpiece called Sling Blade. he followed that up with the underrated All The Pretty Horse and a few others, though his pace has slowed over the last couple of decades. Let's hope he finds that directing bug again. 

Ben Stiller

There was a time in the '90s and '00s when it seemed like Ben Stiller was in every movie released. Not only was he working hard in front of the camera, he was killing it behind the camera as well. Starting really with Reality Bites, and moving on to great movies like the controversial but hilarious Tropic Thunder, and the Zoolander movies. 

Jodie Foster

The great Jodie Foster has been an acclaimed actor and star since her teenage years and of course, that talent has translated to directing. Though lately she's done mostly TV work like directing episodes of Black Mirror and Orange is the New Black, she's done a few movies too, like Little Man Tate and Money Monster.

Kevin Costner

In addition to being one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, Kevin Costner has never shied away from making epic films. Though he's only directed four movies in his career, they have all been big films. Starting with Dances With Wolves in 1990, he's since directed The Postman, Open Range, and 2024's Horizon: An American Saga.

Tim Robbins

The directing bug caught Tim Robbins in the early '90s and he directed a couple of great movies with Bob Roberts and Dead Man Walking. He's directed a smattering of movies and TV shows more recently, but he's mostly stuck to acting over the last few years. 

Sean Penn

Since the early 1980s, Sean Penn has been wowing moviegoers with his impressive acting chops and diversity. In the '90s he dipped his toe into directing with his first film, The Indian Runner and has directed a good handful of movies since, with his best being Into The Wild in 2007. 

Zach Braff

Acting-wise Zach Braff's big break came as a regular cast member of the hit sitcom Scrubs. As a directed, he burst onto the scene with his very first movie, Garden State in 2004. He's continued directing here and there over the last 20 years, including the great movie about getting older, Going In Style, and a few others, in addition to some TV work. 

Warren Beatty

In the 1970s, there was no bigger movie star than Warren Beatty. By the end of the decade, he had moved into directing as well, starting with 1978's Heaven Can Wait and continuing the '80s and '90s with acclaimed movies like Red and maybe his most remembered, Dick Tracy in 1990.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton is a force of nature. For decades she's been one of the best and most popular actresses in Hollywood, and though she's only dipped her toes into directing, mostly in TV, she's on this list for one important reason. Keaton directed the music video for "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" by Belinda Carlisle and that is a stone-cold Gen X classic. 

Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh might be as well known for his directing as he is for his acting, and that's really saying something. Not only has he directed some of the best Shakespeare adaptions for the silver screen, but more recently he's been killing it with his Agatha Christie adaptations. 

Leonard Nimoy

Appropriately, Leonard Nimoy's first foray into feature film direction came in the Star Trek franchise when he directed both Star Trek III: The Search For Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Outside of the iconic franchise he helped make famous he also directed the beloved Three Men and a Baby. 

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone has always been a self-starter. His work to get the original Rocky made is legendary and after it made him a huge star, he wasted no time getting into directing, starting with Rocky II and adding Rocky III, Rocky IV, and 2006's Rocky Balboa as well. Of course, he's also directed in two other franchises he was at the center of with 2008's Rambo and the first Expendable movie. 

Helen Hunt

This one might surprise you, but Helen Hunt has had an impressive career as a director. Most of her work has been on television on shows varying from her own Mad About You and This Is Us. She also has two feature films under her belt with 2007's Then She Found Me and 2014's Ride. 

Joel Edgerton

Joel Edgerton is seemingly everywhere these days, popping up in all kinds of movies and TV shows from Star Wars stuff to Dark Matter. He's also started directing, but his output is limited, with 2015's underrated The Gift and 2018 Boy Erased. Let's hope he finds more time to direct in his busy schedule. 

Elizabeth Banks has long been a beloved actor and director amongst fans, having endeared herself to the general public through her work. She’s also become known for her occasional social media shenanigans, which are admittedly delightful. On that note, Banks really did it up big when she celebrated her 50th birthday this weekend. The actor posted a video of herself in her “birthday suit.” However, it’s not the one you’re probably thinking of, as her idea of one is very different from the norm – and also hilarious. 

The actress official hit the big 5-0 on Saturday, February 10. In honor of the major milestone, she dropped a fun and wild video on her Instagram account. The birthday suit that she sported in the clip was a gold catsuit. While in it, she posed for what appeared to be a faux photoshoot, and she was hamming it up big time. The compilation also featured a clip of her wearing the OG version of the outfit, which led to a bit of a wardrobe malfunction. At the risk of just going on and on about the wildness of the display, I’ll just let you see it for yourself in the post below:

That’s definitely how one makes a statement on their special day! I’m not sure I’d expect someone to sport that kind of outfit when they’re sitting back and enjoying cake with friends and family. However, I definitely love that the Wet Hot American Summer alum seems to be living her best life. I also can’t help but chuckle over the sight of her prancing and skipping around the grounds like that. One can certainly enjoy themself on their b-day, and she certainly seems to be taking advantage of that.

In all seriousness though, Elizabeth Banks makes 50 look really good. The actress not only looks very spry but his skin is glowing as well. She’s dazzled folks with her magnificent looks before, of course. Just last summer, Banks shared a video of herself in a bikini as she took in the water amid a heat wave. Needless to say, the lovely lady is aging like the finest of wines. 

Aside from posting to social media, the Spider-Man alum has remained busy over the past year with several major productions. She most notably directed the well-received horror comedy Cocaine Bear (which is streamable with a Prime Video subscription). The gory and funny feature was another feather in the cap of a talented filmmaker, who’s been told that women don’t do action movies. She also served as one of the producers on the hilarious and critically acclaimed teen comedy Bottoms. 

The world is still Elizabeth Banks’ oyster at this point in her career, and she shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. So what might she have up her sleeve next from a project standpoint? Well, she’s long been set to produce the Fox animated series, Bedrock, which will see her voicing an older version of the Pebbles Flintstone character. Additionally, Banks has been vying for a role on The White Lotus. I’m not sure she’ll appear in the upcoming third season of the HBO dramedy series, though she could always pop up there down the road. 

For now though, I just hope that she was able to enjoy her birthday to the fullest. Also, I’m wondering whether she’ll ever break out that gold “birthday suit” again. I can’t see her just discarding such a distinct piece of material. Whatever the case, here’s wishing her a happy belated birthday and 50 more years of life!

The top actors in Hollywood make a lot of money, but anyone will tell you that the real money is in production. That means that many of the biggest stars in the world have formed their own companies to produce both their own films and other projects that interest them. 

Often, these company names and logos appear at the beginning of the movies, along with larger, more recognizable studios like Paramount and Disney. Here is a list of many of the actors with their own production companies, along with the name of the company to look out for. 

Jordan Peele - Monkeypaw Productions

Jordan Peele has become one of the most exciting and interesting directors and producers in recent years. His Monkeypaw Productions has produced or co-produced his own movies, like Get Out, Us, and Nope, as well as other films like Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, and Adamma Ebo's Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul.

Tom Hanks - Playtone

Tom Hanks' Playtone has been wildly successful on the big and small screens. With movies starring Hanks like Cast Away, Charlie Wilson's Way, The Polar Express, and Greyhound, as well as films not starring him, like Mamma Mia and its sequel, the company keeps winning. It has also hit it big on TV with shows like Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and John Adams on HBO, and the CNN series about each decade of the last 60 years. 

Elizabeth Banks - Brownstone Productions

Elizabeth Banks has been on a hot streak with her company Brownstone Productions. It's most notable for the Pitch Perfect franchise, but the company has also co-produced movies like 2019's Charlie's Angels, and that surprise 2023 hit about a bear that gets into something it should not have in the woods, with scary (and hilarious) results. 

Reese Witherspoon - Pacific Standard

When Reese Witherspoon started Pacific Standard in 2012, she did so with the express purpose of highlighting and producing projects with strong female leads, crews, and topics. So far, it's been a huge success with films like Gone Girl and Wild, as well as TV shows like The Morning Show, and Big Little Lies. 

Adam Sandler - Happy Madison Productions

Adam Sandler movies are not for everyone, but wow, do they make him a lot of money through his company, Happy Madison. Though the two films it's named after Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison were not his productions, almost everything he's been in since 2000 is, and it continues to make a ton of money for the actor. The company has even dabbled in TV, most notably with The Goldbergs.

Drew Barrymore - Flower Films

Drew Barrymore's company, Flower Films, has produced or co-produced a ton of movies since she founded it in 1999. With movies like Donnie Darko, 50 First Dates, Fever Pitch, and the Charlie's Angels franchise, it is safe to assume Barrymore has made a pretty penny. Of course, it also produces her daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show. 

Queen Latifah - Flavor Unit Entertainment

Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit Entertainment started out producing movies with moderate budgets that she starred in, like The Cookout and Beauty Shop, but these days, it's been successful on TV with her show, The Equalizer.

George Clooney - Smokehouse Pictures

Smokehouse Pictures is the second company founded by George Clooney after he shut down Section Eight Productions in 2006. Most movies he's starred in or directed since 2008 have been produced under the Smokehouse banner, including Leatherheads, Monuments Men, and The Boys In The Boat, plus other projects like Ocean's 8 and Argo.

Sandra Bullock - Fortus Films

Sandra Bullock may not be acting as much these days, but her production company, Fortus Films, is still humming along. Through the company, Bullock has produced movies like Miss Congeniality and its sequel, Two Weeks Notice, and The Lost City.

Courteney Cox - Coquette Productions

Friends star Courteney Cox and her ex-husband David Arquette started Coquette Productions together in 2004. The business relationship continued after the couple split six years later, though they haven't actually produced much in recent years. 

Brad Pitt - Plan B Entertainment

Plan B Entertainment was started by Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and producer Brad Grey in 2001. In 2004, Pitt and Grey bought Aniston out in the midst of her split from Pitt. Since then, the company has gone on to major success, with three of its movies, The Departed, 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight all winning Best Picture Oscars, with seven others receiving nominations for the award. 

Sterling K. Brown - Indian Meadows Productions

This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown named his production Indian Meadows Productions after the name of the neighborhood he grew up in outside St. Louis. Though it's just getting started, there are some interesting things on the way as Brown's star continues to shine brightly. 

Margot Robbie - LuckyChap Productions

Margot Robbie may have gotten snubbed at the 2024 Oscars for Barbie, but you can be sure she wasn't snubbed out of money as one of the producers of the hit movie. Robbie's company, LuckyChap Productions, has also produced movies Robbie starred in like I, Tonya and Birds of Prey as well as other projects she didn't star in like Saltburn and Promising Young Woman.

Leonardo DiCaprio - Appian Way Productions

Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions produced two Oscar-winners with The Aviator (which won five) and The Revenant (which won three, including Best Actor for DiCaprio). Through the company, DiCaprio not only produced feature films, but documentaries, as well. 

Nicole Kidman - Blossom Films

While Nicole Kidman's Blossom Films has dabbled in movies, most notably the 2011 rom-com Monte Carlo with Selena Gomez, it has found its biggest successes on the small screen. With shows like Big Little Lies, The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, and 2024's Expats. 

Michael Douglas

Further Films, founded by Michael Douglas, doesn't have the portfolio that others may have on this list, as they seem to have found a niche in thrillers and suspense films like Swimfan, Don't Say a Word, 2017's Flatliners, and the streaming show Ratched.

Natalie Portman - Handsomecharlie Films

Natalie Portman named her company, Handsomecharlie Films, after her beloved dog, and she's put together a nice run of movies. She's produced many of her own projects, like No Strings Attached and Jane Got a Gun, as well as a surprise that she didn't star in, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. 

Eddie Murphy - Eddie Murphy Productions

Eddie Murphy started betting on himself early in his career through Eddie Murphy Productions and it has paid off, big time. Starting with Raw in 1987, the company has produced some huge movies for the legendary comedian, including Coming To America, Harlem Nights, Boomarang, The Nutty Professor, and Norbit. 

Barbra Streisand - Barwood Films

Barbra Streisand has produced many of her own projects through her company, Barwood Films. 1976's A Star Is Born, The Prince Of Tides, and Yentl are a few of the examples of her biggest successes. Barwood has also dabbled in TV movies, like the groundbreaking What Makes a Family in 2001, about a lesbian couple having a child together. 

Alec Baldwin - El Dorado Pictures

Alec Baldwin's El Dorado Pictures has been in the news a lot in recent years due to its connection to Rust and the tragic events that occurred on set. Baldwin has produced quite a few of his own projects through the company over the years and even got into the TV game show space with the revival of Match Game, which he also hosted. 

Tina Fey - Little Stranger

Tina Fey has one of the sharpest wits in Hollywood, so it's no surprise she would use those same brains to produce. From critically acclaimed movies like 2024's Mean Girls to wildly successful TV shows including 30 Rock and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Fey, and her company Little Stranger, continue to crush it. 

Laurence Fishburne - Cinema Gypsy Productions

The biggest success Laurence Fishburne and his company Cinema Gypsy Productions has seen thus far is the sitcom black-ish, but he's also produced some great movies of his own that have flown under the radar, but are worth checking out, in Five Fingers and Akeelah and the Bee.

Jodie Foster - Egg Pictures

It's no surprise that an actor and director like Jodie Foster, who has been in show business for basically all of her life, would be a producer as well. Through her Egg Pictures production company, she produced many of her own projects, starting with Nell in 1994 and Home for the Holidays in 1995. She closed the company in 2002 when she decided that producing wasn't for her. 

Clint Eastwood - Malpaso Films

Without question, one of the most successful companies on this list is Malpaso Films, founded by Clint Eastwood. It has served as the production company for almost all of the films Eastwood has directed and its history stretches back to the mid-1960s. Many of his classic films, including Unforgiven, The Bridges of Madison County, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz, Million Dollar Baby, Sully, and many more have all been produced or co-produced by Malpaso. 

Halle Berry - 606 Films

Halle Berry's 606 Films has an interesting origin story. Though it was formed as part of her deal to star in Extant, the name has an important meaning. She named it after CA Senate Bill 606, a law intended to protect celebrities' children from the paparazzi.

It was an important issue for Berry, and when the company was formed, her partner, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, said, "606 Films is named for the anti-paparazzi bill, Senate Bill 606, which Halle fought so hard for and won, when no one believed it could be achieved. It truly informs the spirit of our company — making dreams possible, one bill at a time."

Mel Gibson - Icon Productions

Mel Gibson is not the most universally loved man in Hollywood, to be sure, but he's often bet on himself with his Icon Films, and more times than not, it's worked. Since 1989, he's financed many of his own projects completely through Icon, making movies like Hacksaw Ridge, The Passion of the Christ, and We Were Soldiers, plus co-producing maybe his most iconic movie, Braveheart. 

Salma Hayek - Ventanarosa Productions

Ventanarosa Productions, founded by Salma Hayek in 1999 has most often focused on Latin-centric projects, including Hayek's own Frida and the hit TV show, Ugly Betty. Ventanarosa also works throughout Latin America, producing Spanish-language films and TV. 

Will Smith - Overbrook Entertainment

Will Smith grew up in the West Philly neighborhood of Overbrook, which he took for the name of his production company as well, Overbrook Entertainment. Through it, Smith has produced many of his own projects, starting with Ali in 2001. King Richard, for which he infamously won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2022, was also produced by Overbrook. On the small screen, the Netflix hit Cobra Kai is an Overbrook production, as well. 

Amy Poehler - Paper Kite Productions

Amy Poehler's Paper Kite Production has dabbled in movies, but most of its success has been on TV and streaming. With shows like Russian Doll, and Broad City, you can see that Poehler likes sticking with what she knows, comedy. You might be surprised, though, that the company has also found success with reality TV and even feature length documentaries.

Danny DeVito - Jersey Films

Danny DeVito is obviously proud of his New Jersey roots, naming his production company Jersey Films. He also has to be proud of the output from the company with films like Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty. He's found a lot of success on TV too, with Reno 911! Another of Jersey's films, Erin Brockovich, was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2001.

Charlize Theron - Denver And Delilah Productions

Denver and Delilah Productions' first film was Monster, starring the company's founder, Charlize Theron. That seems to have inspired a bit of a theme, as the company has produced other serial killer-related projects, like Netflix's show Mindhunters, and the HBO docuseries Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York. There are also a few non-serial killer films, like Bombshell, Atomic Blonde, and Murder Mystery.

Will Ferrell - Gary Sanchez Productions

Before Adam McKay and Will Ferrell had their falling out in 2019 and dissolved Gary Sanchez Productions, the company had been wildly successful, releasing some of the funniest movies and shows over the last couple of decades. Step Brothers, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Daddy's Home, Eastbound & Down, and Drunk History are just a few examples. Add to that a little HBO show called Succession, which has won just a few Emmys, and wow, what a success story. 

As this list shows, success as an actor often leads to success in production as well, so actors will continue to open up their own shops, and will continue to crush it, for sure. 

Award shows are great for celebrating the wonderful work done by creatives throughout the year, but they're also an opportunity for celebrities to get together and mingle. That results in fun crossover moments that fans end up loving. This year, Selena Gomez and Florence Pugh shared an adorable hug together at the 2024 Golden Globes. The moment was captured on camera, with Elizabeth Banks caught in the shuffle, and she (of course) took the opportunity to photobomb. It's so perfect, and I'm wondering why this hasn't gone viral yet?

Selena Gomez and Florence Pugh both had big years that were a cause for celebration amid the night the 2024 Golden Globes winners. Gomez was nominated for her work in Only Murders in the Building, and Florence Pugh was there to support Oppenheimer, which she had a supporting role in. They both looked ravishing in red and, while they have yet to share the screen, they seemed familiar with each other as they shared a sweet hug at the ceremony. Elizabeth Banks was passing by and seemed delighted and surprised by the two mega stars having a moment together. You can see a candid photo below:

Unsurprisingly, she definitely had to get in on the action. She totally photobombed the girls, who didn't even seem to realize their picture was being taken. The snapshot still came out absolutely adorable, and I’m living for this trio. Also, if you look closely, you can see a surprised David Oyelowo off to the side. Check out the photobomb moment below:

This photo has me wanting to see a big film with these three ladies attached somehow. Maybe a Charlie’s Angels-style action movie with Florence Pugh and Selena Gomez at the center kicking butt, and Elizabeth Banks behind the camera, perhaps? All three are also known for their sense of humor, so a comedy starring the trio could be an absolute blast as well. The possibilities are endless and, now that they are all acquainted, a new project isn't exactly a wild notion. 

This photobomb fun was just one of many picture-perfect moments from the night. Margot Robbie’s Barbiecore looks continued to slay on the red carpet, while Bill Hader confirmed his relationship with Ali Wong with a kiss and posed for selfies with Taylor Swift. Additionally, the Barbie cast were captured giving major side eye to Jo Koy’s monologue. 

It truly was a night full of viral celebrity moments, so it's no surprise that some of the best ones like a fun photobomb got lost in the shuffle and are missed by the Internet. However, it didn’t go totally unnoticed, and I love that Elizabeth Banks took her shot during that goofy moment. Also, Selena Gomez and Florence Pugh are slowly becoming my new favorite bestie duo. 

It may be a while before we see these talented women grace the big screen together (if we ever do). But, in the meantime, you can check out Selena Gomez in Only Murders in the Building, which is currently streaming now with a Hulu subscription. Additionally, you can witness Florence Pugh’s magnetic performance in Oppenheimer by renting the film on Amazon. Also, Elizabeth Banks’s latest directorial feat, Cocaine Bear, which is streaming for Prime Video subscribers. 

Given that the HBO hit The White Lotus has featured the iconic talents of Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, Michael Imperioli and Aubrey Plaza across its first two seasons, it's no surprise that Hollywood stars are jonesing to check into the hotel. Case in point, Elizabeth Banks, who used a recent TV appearance to beg the show's creator Mike White to hire her. 

While on an episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, the actress-director revealed to hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos that not only did she want to act in the critically acclaimed White Lotus, she wanted to die on it. The actress said:

There have been several dramatic deaths through The White Lotus' first two seasons (no spoilers though!), so Banks' reaction is on-brand for the whodunnit series. Honestly, if I were an actor, it'd be an honor to be killed on this show.

Ripa tried to help Banks' cause by pushing her own talk-show bona fides, adding: 

The guest joked that she was "writing [Kelly] a check" for aiding her in getting cast on the HBO series. 

Elizabeth Banks is far from the only celebrity who has made their desire to star in the series publicly known. Jamie Lee Curtis, Hayden Panettiere, Bette Midler, James Marsden and Jennifer Aniston have all revealed their admiration for the show and their willingness to join the no-doubt star-studded cast of The White Lotus Season 3 too.

Aniston told E! News in March she was "obsessed with it," and she wanted to play the sister of Coolidge's character, Tanya McQuoid. She joked:

Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph echoed Aniston's sentiments, also telling E! News earlier this year that she's a "yes" for season 3 if Mike White wants to get in touch. 

So far, we don't have confirmation of the full cast for the upcoming season, nor a set premiere date (it's likely going to be 2025, FYI). However, we do know that one fan-favorite character is set to return for the show's third edition: Natasha Rothwell's spa worker Belinda Lindsey. 

We also know the destination for season 3—Thailand! We've also heard that the newest season is going to be "longer" and crazier" than its predecessors. We've even thought up a few ways in which former Survivor castaways could make a fun cameo on the show. (If you don't already know, Mike White was once on Survivor and his season is amazing, go watch!)

So, it's not totally outside the realm of possibility that Elizabeth Banks or Jennifer Aniston or any of the other A-List celebrity White Lotus fans could potentially find themselves onscreen as guests of the famous hotel sometime in the future. We'll definitely be keeping our eyes peeled! 

And while we wait to see if the guest list will include Banks or not next season, you can stream Seasons 1 and 2 of The White Lotus with a Max subscription. 

Other than the Winnie The Pooh horror movie, the close second for the wildest premise in a 2023 movie is probably Cocaine Bear. The horror comedy (which was actually inspired by real events) was a sneak-up success for Universal, which begs the question, could there be a sequel? The movie’s director, Elizabeth Banks, has her answer to that question.  

Elizabeth Banks may be best known for her work as an actor in movies like Slither, The Hunger Games and Pitch Perfect, but in recent years, she’s also caught the directing bug. After previously helming 2015’s Pitch Perfect 2 and 2019’s Charlie’s Angels, her third directing gig was Cocaine Bear, and it sounds like it was a blast to make. When speaking to Rolling Stone about the project, she said this about making it a franchise: 

Banks had a memorable time flexing her comedic and horror muscles for Cocaine Bear, and she sounds open to a continuation somehow. After all, the ending of Cocaine Bear is left rather ambiguous, so theoretically the black bear could turn up again somehow. When asked about what she is working on next as a director, she said this: 

When Cocaine Bear came out back in February, the R-rated movie opened at $23 million before earning $87.6 million worldwide. Considering the movie cost around $30 million to produce, it can be considered a moderate success for Universal. The movie also received generally positive reception from critics, including from CinemaBlend’s own Mike Reyes who gave the movie 3.5 out of 5 stars in his Cocaine Bear review, calling it “ridiculously fun.” 

Cocaine Bear follows an American black bear living in 1985 after it tries cocaine following drug smuggler Andrew C. Thornton II dropping a 75-pound shipment of the drug within its reach. The drugged-up bear then goes on a killing spree in northeast Georgia. The movie’s cast included Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson, Ray Liotta and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, among others. 

Banks’ movie came out just one month after Universal’s M3GAN, another funny horror romp hit theaters and made good money. Both of them go to show that camp horror is back, so could Cocaine Bear 2 keep that trend going? We’ll see. Until then, the original movie is currently streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

Along with Elizabeth Banks being a prolific actor, producer, and director, she has been the game show host for Press Your Luck on ABC since 2019. Ahead of the series' expected to return for Season 5 this fall, Banks got honest about the time she threw the most f-bombs on live television while getting invested in the show’s big prizes. 

When Banks spoke to TVLine ahead of the SAG-AFTRA actors strike about Press Your Luck, she was reminded of moments while hosting the show where she got so into the players’ journeys that she let some expletives slip. In her words: 

Can you imagine winning a million dollars on national television after playing Press Your Luck? It’s truly a dream of an experience that so many players who go on the show hope for. You never know how things are going to shake out in the trivia game show, but when Elizabeth Banks experienced one player about to win the big prize she couldn’t help but throw some f-bombs out. 

Considering how thrilling watching the show itself is, we can see how being the host can really stress and excite one all at once. And hey, Press Your Luck is one of those game shows that has been around since the ‘80s, so obviously if it’s been able to stay relevant this long there’s a lot of thrill in the format. 

Press Your Luck was previously expected to return starting on September 18 and air on Thursdays at 9 p.m., but right now considering the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA strike, it’s unclear when the game show will return. While other game show hosts might be swift in returning to their TV duties, Elizabeth Banks is an actress as well and it’s possible she could bow out of the series like Mayim Bialik did for Jeopardy back in May, but we’ll have to wait and see. 

Along with Banks being the Press Your Luck host, she recently helmed comedy horror film Cocaine Bear and is a producer on R-rated comedy Bottoms coming out this August 25. You can stay updated on the future of Press Your Luck by checking on the 2023 TV premiere dates calendar here on CinemaBlend. 

It's certainly a bikini summer for a lot of actresses, and Elizabeth Banks is having plenty of fun in the sun right now. Over the past week, she's been sharing pictures from her gorgeous anniversary trip. This year Banks and her husband Max Handelman have been in Italy celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. The Charlie's Angels reboot director shared posts featuring gorgeous backdrops and cute sundresses in recent days, but then she took to the Internet to share a bikini post and that’s when the comments got weird. 

On one of the excursions on her big anniversary trip, the actress and director noted she threw on a bikini and jumped in the water given their trip “coincided w/record breaking heat.” It was the perfect time for her to cool down and for the comments to heat up.

Of course, the fans came out of the wood works with all the heat wave-related comments. Many of these attempted to be punny while spitting weirdly sexual lines at the actress. 

• She’s gonna set that lake to boil 🔥🔥🔥🥵
• How can you [stay cool] when you’re so hot?
• While making the rest of us hot, thanks.
• Well those hips are definitely contributing to global warming, sooo…

Given Elizabeth Banks herself once asked Harry Styles if she "could be the water" when he posted a thirst trap in some water, it's possible she found some of these lines to be at least somewhat amusing, but things didn't stop there.

Instead, some of the comments went even further than those, as individuals were bickering about whether or not global warming is really a thing and others brought up the Charlie’s Angels director’s feet. (What is it with the Internet's obsession with feet lately?) Needless to say, things got a little out of hand.

• With a slight chance of incoming feet pics 🙏👣🔥😍😄
• Global heatwave?? It's called Summer!!

Elizabeth Banks has rocked a swimsuit over summer break before. Last year, around this time she traveled to Greece, where she enjoyed a lot of food and wine, and yes, the occasional swimsuit post. She’s been known for her funny captions related to rocking swimwear. During the Greece trip, she wrote, “Cheese, wine, and chocolate were more important than a flat tummy” when it came to posting in a bikini. 

In a separate post this year, she  was also seen diving into the water. She had a funny caption on that Stories too, writing, “Buns brought to you by squats and good lighting.”  

In the past, when trolls have gotten weird with certain celebrities like Katee Sackhoff, they've responded, such as when Star Wars trolls got weirdly sexual on her posts, though it's worth noting those comments really got out of control. In general, Banks has a good sense of humor, and in her case she hasn't responded or given these commenters the time of day. She may be in the middle of a heat wave, but this is one post I'd expect to see cool down quickly. 

There comes a time in our lives when a comedy arrives in theaters that is so iconic, you can’t help but love it years later and want everyone you know to watch it as well. For me, that was The 40-Year-Old Virgin. From the time I saw the amazing Steve Carell-led movie, I knew I was in for a fun time. 

But now, the movie is turning 18 in 2023, and the cast has gone on to do some wildly amazing things with their careers. From Carell to Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks, here is where The 40-Year-Old Virgin cast is today, and what they have been up to over the last several years. 

Steven Carell (Andy Stitzer)

First up on the list is the amazing Steve Carell, who played the lead character, Andy Stitzer, in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. The actor has gone on to appear in many movies, such as Evan Almighty, Date Night, Anchorman 2: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Battle of the Sexes, and more. He’s also started to appear in many more dramatic roles as well, including Beautiful Boy, Foxcatcher (which earned him an Academy Award nomination), Welcome to Marwen, and more. 

Carell obviously also had major success as the lead in the American version of The Office cast, but besides that, he was the lead of the Netflix series, Space Force, and was one of the leads of the popular Apple TV+ show, The Morning Show. He was also a lead in FX’s The Patient. 

Coming up, Carell is going to be in the new Wes Anderson film, Asteroid City, as well as Despicable Me 4, where he's reprising Gru from the Despicable Me franchise, as well as a movie titled Imaginary Friends.  

Catherine Keener (Trish Piedmont)

Moving on, we have Catherine Keener, who played Trish Piedmont in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Keener has been in many movies since this, including Into the Wild, Unless, Captain Phillips, The Croods, Trust, Genova, Capote, An American Crime, The Adam Project, Polar Bear and others. She was also one of the characters in Jordan Peele’s directing debut, Get Out, and voiced Evelyn in Pixar’s The Incredibles 2. 

Keener also has experience in television with roles in shows such as Kidding, Show Me a Hero, Modern Love, and Forever, among others. She also recently had a guest role on the Bob Odenkirk-led show, Lucky Hank. Coming up, she is actually going to be in Joker 2, otherwise known as Joker: Folie à Deux, so keep an eye out for her. 

Paul Rudd (David)

Paul Rudd has truly had a great career over the past couple of decades, and in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, he played David. Since, Rudd has been making a name for himself in many movies and television series. Most recently he’s played Ant-Man in several Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, but he’s also appeared in several other films, including Knocked Up, This Is The End, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Sausage Party (which is getting a sequel series), The Little Prince, This is 40, Dinner for Schmucks, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and more. 

Rudd has also been in a lot of television lately as well, including parts in his own series, Living with Yourself, as well as roles in shows such as Parks and Recreation, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, The Shrink Next Door, Tiny World, Burning Love, and Reno 911!, among others. 

Coming up, Rudd will be in the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel, as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and the third season of Only Murders in the Building. 

Romany Malco (Jay)

Romany Malco played Jay in the movie, and he’s certainly seen his career grow over the last eighteen years. He’s been in movies such as Night School, Almost Christmas, Holiday Rush, When The Bough Breaks, Gulliver’s Travels, Think Like A Man and more. 

Malco also appeared in TV shows in main roles such as Weeds, No Ordinary Family, A Million Little Things, Mad Dogs, Blunt Talk and others. He also frequently guest stars on podcasts. 

Seth Rogen (Cal)

Rogen played Cal here, and has certainly made a name for himself in Hollywood over the last few years. He’s been in so many movies, it’s hard to name them all, so I’ll list some of his best – The Fabelmans directed by Steven Spielberg, This Is The End, Knocked Up, The Interview, the Neighbors franchise, and more. He’s also done voice roles in movies such as Sausage Party, The Lion King and the Kung Fu Panda franchise. 

Rogen has also been very successful in television. In terms of acting, he’s had recurring roles on Arrested Development, The League and done plenty of voice roles. He also had a lead role in the Pam & Tommy cast. Rogen also works as an executive producer, and worked on the popular Amazon Prime series, The Boys, as well as the superhero series, Invincible. Coming up, he’ll be in a television series called Platonic, and working on many other television shows as a producer.  

Elizabeth Banks (Beth)

Next up on this list is Elizabeth Banks, who played Beth, and she’s done so much since the film was released. Her best roles in movies so far include Brightburn, The Hunger Games franchise, Invincible, Lovely, Call Jane, The Lego Movie and its sequel, the hilarious Pitch Perfect movies and Magic Mike XXL among more. She also directed Cocaine Bear. 

Banks also had a role in Scrubs, as well as a major role in Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, and a major role in Mrs. America. Coming up, she is going to be in movies such as The Beanie Bubble, Migration, A Mistake, and Signal Hill.

Leslie Mann (Nicky)

Moving on is Leslie Mann, who portrayed Nicky. Mann has been in movies such as Knocked Up, 17 Again, Rio and its sequel, The Comedian, Welcome to Marwen, The Bubble, Cha Cha Real Smooth, the stop-motion film ParaNorman and more. 

Mann has also been in many guest roles on television in shows such as Modern Family and The Simpsons, and also narrated Makers: Women Who Make America. Coming up, she is going to be in Rocking the Boat, a comedy also starring Rebel Wilson. 

Jane Lynch (Paula)

Jane Lynch’s Paula was one of my favorite characters, and Lynch only continued to grow in popularity after her appearance in this movie. She is certainly known much more for her roles in television, with one of my personal favorites being Sue Sylvester from Glee, but she’s been in many other television roles. 

These include a recurring guest part in the legendary Two and a Half Men, The L Word, Angels From Hell, Final Space, and more. She also had a guest role on the Hulu original show, Only Murders in the Building. Lynch has hosted several game shows, with some of her best being Hollywood Game Night and Weakest Link. 

The actress has appeared in movies such as For Your Consideration, Julie & Julia, Chimps, Role Models, and more, among voices roles for Wreck-It-Ralph and its sequel. Coming up, Lynch will be in Animals and Fairy Tale Forest.  

Kat Dennings (Marla Piedmont)

Last but not least, we have Kat Dennings, who played Marla Piedmont in the comedy. Dennings has worked on multiple television shows in main roles, including Dollface, 2 Broke Girls, and more, but she also portrays Darcy Lewis in the MCU, a role she’s reprised several times, most recently in Thor: Love and Thunder. 

Other than that, she’s appeared in television shows such as Drunk History, Big Mouth, and others. Dennings has also had roles in movies like The Answer Man, Daydream Nation, Friendsgiving, To Write Love on Her Arms and more. 

With a cast this impressive, it’s not a surprise that they’ve been in so much since the film came out. Maybe now you'll have a new movie or show to binge-watch. 

Elizabeth Banks has been an actor in Hollywood for over 20 years but, in recent years, she's also been getting into directing, between her 2015 feature debut Pitch Perfect 2, her reboot of Charlie’s Angels in 2019 and her latest film, the horror comedy Cocaine Bear. Banks recently spoke about making the movie and reflected on what she's been told about why women don’t typically handle big action movies. She also explained how the late Ray Liotta provided some encouragement.  

During Elizabeth Banks’ interview on the ReelBlend podcast, the actress/director shared that what she was told about women taking director positions was actually debunked by Ray Liotta, whom she worked with on 2023 new movie release. In her words: 

Elizabeth Banks wasn’t given the best feedback when she aimed to jump into the action genre, but she has clearly (and thankfully) ignored any reservations like the ones shared by the producer she mentioned. And when it comes to her time on Cocaine Bear, she felt that being followed and trusted by the star of Goodfellas was a vote of confidence. With that, it reinforced the notion that she could in fact direct what she wanted to and, by god, she did! Check out the full response during the podcast interview in the YouTube clip down below: 

Of course, it's also sweet to hear that during production, Elizabeth Banks was able to forge a solid working relationship with Ray Liotta. This movie marks one of the final roles he took on before he died at the age of 67 back in May 2022. The Cocaine Bear director shared that she’s forever “grateful” to the late acting icon for lending his talents to the horror comedy. And he was apparently “game” for the somewhat ridiculous premise and even wanted more jokes for himself once he read the script. 

As Elizabeth Banks also shared, she worked with him prior to this production, on 2011’s The Details, during which she felt his professionalism and sensed his charm right off the bat. Their prior working relationship probably made it even easier for the two to gel on the set of this latest flick, which is different from their first collaboration.

Cocaine Bear is off to a great start commercially, as critics are high on the gory comedy. The movie also didn't blow on preview night at the box office, with the movie now making more than initially predicted. And so far, tracking has the movie landing on a nice haul for its opening weekend.   

It’s great to see not only such a unique concept catch moviegoers' eyes but for a talented filmmaker like Elizabeth Banks to be juggling action, comedy and horror in one of the year's most anticipated movies. Let's hope that she keeps proving the status quo wrong!  You can check out Cocaine Bear in theaters now!

Sometimes the craziest ideas are the ones that lead to victory. Universal’s decision to put Cocaine Bear onto its slate of 2023 new movie releases looks like it might be one of those scenarios that proves this theory to be true thanks to some strong preview night numbers. While it doesn’t look like it’ll be the champion of this weekend's box office, Thursday’s early showings didn’t blow, with the full forecasted weekend figures leaving room for some even better news.

Director Elizabeth Banks’ grizzly dark comedy has kicked off its run with an estimated $2 million in early Thursday showings. Coming down from the folks at Variety, projections for the full weekend outlook have Cokey looking to hoover up between $15-20 million of sweet sweet grosses domestically. Putting these figures against a $35 million production budget, plus an unknown marketing spend that’s had this picture front and center for some time, it looks like the bear could have its day. 

Currently, Cocaine Bear is the only new wide release hitting theaters after Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania made its debut on last weekend’s box office charts. That Marvel movie looks like it’ll still be at the top of the heap this weekend, although that doesn’t seem to be the largest challenge for this Keri Russell-starring ensemble horror-comedy. If anything, the month of March is about to lay down gauntlets all the way down, trying to stop this ursine usurper in its quest to stash as much cash as possible.

The next couple of weeks have big ticket challengers like Creed III, Scream VI and Shazam! Fury of the Gods all weighing in. Not to mention, the bonkers-looking Adam Driver dinosaur movie 65 is set to debut in this same time frame, which also plays to audience members drawn to tales of primal pursuit.

If there was anything that could put Cocaine Bear over the competition, it’d have to be the fans. Critical reaction to Cokey’s rampage has been rather high on its enthusiasm, with the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score currently sitting at a 70% from 139 reviews. 

Ant-Man 3’s fortunes aren’t so rosy, as the Paul Rudd-led threequel is only the second “Rotten” Marvel movie, though fans seem to love Scott Lang’s return more than critics. Either way, it’s money that talks here, and that’s a conversation we’ll definitely need to save for Sunday afternoon.

Going into these final weeks of hyping up her Universal project, Elizabeth Banks shared her worries that Cocaine Bear could be a potential “career ender” for her directorial slate. Should the results hold up to or exceed what’s being predicted for this weekend, it looks like those fears will be unfounded. In which case, Banks may want to find another absolutely crazy blockbuster to attach herself to while commissioning a mural of herself riding good old Cokey into victory. 

Meanwhile, you can get caught up in the powdery madness and watch Cocaine Bear yourself, with the movie hitting streaming services in April. Once you’ve taken the ride, there’s plenty of post-rampage material you can indulge in, as we have interviews with the cast of Cocaine Bear, as well as an entire conversation with Elizabeth Banks on the latest episode of ReelBlend. 

The hilarious ensemble of the new comedy "Cocaine Bear," including Elizabeth Banks (Director/Producer), Alden Ehrenreich (Eddie) and O'Shea Jackson Jr. (Daveed) join CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell to discuss this absolutely ✨ wild ✨ film. Find out what they used to recreate the film’s powdery namesake, their favorite (and least favorite) stunts and more. Plus, they take a moment to remember Ray Liotta, this being his last project to hit theaters.

00:00 - Intro
00:22 - Elizabeth Banks Reveals What They Used For The ‘Cocaine’ On Set
01:09 - O’Shea Jackson Jr. Discusses The Film’s Balance of Comedy and Horror
02:26 - The Cast Discusses The Hardest, But Most Rewarding, Stunts In The Film
04:30 - Elizabeth Banks Had A Very Specific Soundtrack In Mind
05:39 - O’Shea Jackson Jr. On Working With Ray Liotta on His Last Project Ever

Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro
00:22 - Elizabeth Banks Reveals What They Used For The ‘Cocaine’ On Set
01:09 - O’Shea Jackson Jr. Discusses The Film’s Balance of Comedy and Horror
02:26 - The Cast Discusses The Hardest, But Most Rewarding, Stunts In The Film
04:30 - Elizabeth Banks Had A Very Specific Soundtrack In Mind
05:39 - O’Shea Jackson Jr. On Working With Ray Liotta on His Last Project Ever

Elizabeth Banks joins us to talk about directing her latest feature Cocaine Bear, starring Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, and Ray Liotta. She dives into the process of finding a bear performer, working with the late Ray Liotta and what he brought to the set, influences from classics like Jurassic Park, and more.

Stick around through the show for our full review of the film as well as a discussion on the recently announced nominees of this year's Critics' Choice Super Awards.

Timestamps (approx. only)

00:00:00 - intro
00:05:47 - Celebrating 250 Episodes
00:13:51 - Elizabeth Banks Interview
00:35:20 - Critics’ Choice Super Awards Nominations
00:51:29 - We Have A Ghost Review
00:55:23 - Cocaine Bear Review
01:09:47 - Our Favorite Elizabeth Banks Movies
01:20:19 - Outro

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Warning: slight SPOILER warning for Cocaine Bear is in effect. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you’ve been warned. 

The blockbusters from director Steven Spielberg have gone on to inspire plenty of filmmakers who grew up enjoying such sights. So it’s no surprise that when it came to director Elizabeth Banks’ vision for her 2023 new movie release Cocaine Bear, such an influence would come into play. However, the twist to this tale is that it wasn’t the brutality of Jaws that Banks took her cues from; instead, it was an awe-inspiring scene from Jurassic Park the director considered her “True north.” 

The Awe-Inspiring Jurassic Park Moment That May Have Inspired Elizabeth Banks

As the most recent guest on CinemaBlend's in-house podcast ReelBlend, Elizabeth Banks was asked about a recurring method that shows up throughout this coked-out adventure. As it turns out, Cocaine Bear has a couple of deaths that involved the severing of a victim’s legs, which on its own may conjure another Jurassic Park image. 

Blending bear-based reality with dino-fiction, Banks began to lay out the Steven Spielberg scene that inspired her, and the specific question it made her ask about her own film. Here’s what Elizabeth Banks told the ReelBlend hosts as she started spilling the beans on her Universal release: 

While Elizabeth Banks doesn’t name the specific moment in Jurassic Park that carries that mixture of awe and fear, one obvious candidate comes to mind. In the 1993 classic, there’s a moment where Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum are shown around the labs of Jurassic Park, just as a baby raptor is hatching.

As if the previous mention of a T-Rex being on the island wasn’t enough of a shock, Neill’s Dr. Alan Grant truly starts to worry when it’s revealed that yes, they did breed velociraptors. Relive that moment in the clip shared below:

An iconic moment that helped set the table for what was to come, you can practically see a straight line leading from the Jurassic universe to Elizabeth Banks’ Cocaine Bear. Thanks to the almost-30-year-old blockbuster of legendary proportions, the question of how this dark comedy inspired by real life should play out was asked and answered in a manner that has made critics and audiences scream with laughter, as well as pure fear.

How Elizabeth Banks Channeled Jurassic Park In Cocaine Bear

Admittedly, Cocaine Bear is a much more comedic film than Jurassic Park ever was. The adaptation of Michael Crichton’s sci-fi masterpiece did have some moments of levity and humor presented throughout, but the message of humanity tampering with the laws of nature was the main attraction.

For Elizabeth Banks’ picture, those tones were flip flopped in the order of importance, with dark comedy ruling the day and bone-chilling/emotional moments also being included. In the case of both creature features, the crossroads met at the same place: turning awe to terror. 

As she continued with her description of the Jurassic influences on her movie, Banks specified the exact intent she set out to achieve with Cocaine Bear’s overall action: 

The true story of the bear known as “Pablo Escobear” is not as exciting as the horrific events that befall Cocaine Bear’s cast. In reality, the story and the taxidermied bear that symbolizes it are more of an oddity than a horror show. So leave it to writer Jimmy Warden and director Elizabeth Banks to draw from one of Steven Spielberg’s most harrowing films to build a much deadlier fiction.

Once again, life has found a way to turn fact into fear, thanks to the madness that is Cocaine Bear. The movie should have audiences lining up for carnage, chaos and, of course cocaine, when it opens this weekend. If you want to see what other horrific delights await you throughout the near future, check out the upcoming horror movies guide. 

Monster-like animals can be a great starting point for an action film, whether it’s a lion like in Beast or the prehistoric creatures in Jurassic World Dominion. Add to that the words “Based on a True Story,” and you’ve got a tasty theatrical stew cooking. Cocaine Bear is loosely inspired by real events, and audiences will see what happens when a 500-pound black bear goes on a rampage after ingesting large amounts of cocaine. The reviews are in, so let’s let the critics help us decide if we should grab a big glass of Diet Cokagne and head to the theater this weekend.

Director Elizabeth Banks is hoping to find box office success with Cocaine Bear, which boasts an ensemble cast that includes Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, to name a few, as well as the late Ray Liotta, who passed away in May 2022. The NSFW trailer promises a hilarious and gory horror comedy, so let’s see what the critics have to say, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Cocaine Bear. Our own Mike Reyes gives the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, calling the movie ridiculously fun, imploring moviegoers to “just say yes”: 

Mike Ryan of Uproxx gives Cocaine Bear a resounding “Oh Hell Yes,” saying there’s no false advertising in the movie’s title, and this movie is everything he could have asked for. In his words: 

Lovia Gyarkye of THR calls the movie a “no thoughts, just vibes” kind of experience, with the 90-minute runtime aiming for maximum entertainment value, even if the details get murky if you look too closely. The critic continues: 

Jude Dry of IndieWire grades Cocaine Bear a "B-," calling it a clever but obvious cash grab on the part of Elizabeth Banks. And while it may provide a bump to the historically sleepy February movie scene, what you see in the title is what you get from this film. More from this review: 

Aaron Neuwirth of We Live Entertainment also thinks the movie falls a little short, giving it a "user rating" of 5. The critic admits that there is a lot to like, though, including the CGI bear and the comedic timing of some of the cast. The review reads:  

If you are intrigued by what Elizabeth Banks and her cast have pulled off here, you can first give the Cocaine Bear a follow on Twitter and then watch Cocaine Bear online as it hits streaming services. Also be sure to check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what other films are headed to a theater near you. 

Sometimes all you need to sell a movie is a title with two words that hammer home exactly what the story should be. In the case of Charlie’s Angels, the legacy of the ‘70s crime drama was the lure that was supposed to bring audiences to director Elizabeth Banks’ legacy-quel. Meanwhile, the 2023 new movie release Cocaine Bear only needed that absolutely nuts and true-to-life concept to get people talking. In a recent interview, Banks shared some honest thoughts about how that previous movie flopped and how her upcoming project’s chances at the box office could affect her career. 

In conversation with Variety, the helmer behind one of this year’s wildest looking thrill rides did what any good leader would. Acknowledging the failure of Charlie’s Angels at the box office, Elizabeth Banks addressed the situation point blank thanks to the following moment of candor: 

Early on in the debacle that saw the Kristen Stewart-starring film underperform at the box office, Elizabeth Banks embraced the situation with a fun tweet and pride that Charlie’s Angels even existed. Taking ownership of the flop that had her name all over it, it was a reaction that was pure Banks in its tone. The same could be said about how she’s handling her most recent press tour for Universal’s bonkers-looking would-be blockbuster. 

Talking up the fact that she sees Cocaine Bear as a revenge story, Elizabeth Banks is once again jumping in headfirst. It’s an energy that can be seen in the marketing and social media campaign, which has only been stoking the fires for moviegoers ready to get weird. Still, Banks acknowledges the stakes around this grizzly grindhouse offering are pretty much set as follows: 

If Elizabeth Banks’ directing career were to end with this picture in particular, the trailer for Cocaine Bear suggests that prospect as going out on top. While we don’t have to wait too much longer to see it for ourselves, the thrills of that preview still make the delay all the more noticeable. Should you want a bump of the pleasures that are the fictitious adventures of the creature known as Pablo Escobear, take a look at that very video provided below:  

Folks are bound to be getting in line for Cocaine Bear, which kicks off its run of powdered joy on February 24th. Anyone curious about how good 2019’s Charlie’s Angels movie really was can check that out for themselves thanks to the world of streaming. Starz is offering that title at the time of this writing, which can be accessed easily as an add-on for either a Hulu or Prime Video subscription. 

If you have been lucky enough to see the insane NSFW trailer for Cocaine Bear, then you know that the comedy-thriller promises a hilarious and bizarre good time at the cinema. What might be the strangest aspect of the movie focusing on a 500-pound murderous bear high on blow is that there really is a true story that inspired it. That was until a Kentucky theater announced it would be holding movie screenings where you could have a meet and greet with the taxidermied remains of the creature behind the real-life story which inspired the film. We aren’t kidding.

The Kentucky Theater will host screenings on Friday, February 24, and Saturday, 25, where cinema-goers can take photos with the now stuffed bear according to ABC 36 (WTVQ),. The animal will be displayed in the theater’s lobby for two days during the first weekend of the movie’s release. 

Anyone familiar with the term “inspired by a true story” knows that frequently filmmakers and studios use that term quite loosely. So, considering people can now go see the real bear before seeing the movie, how much of the absurdity in Elizabeth Banks’ Cocaine Bear is true? Let’s take a look at the truth behind the fiction. 

Was There A Bear That Ingested A Ton of Cocaine?

As we pointed out previously, the movie is appropriately titled because, as the New York Times points out in their story, there was, in fact, a real bear that died of an overdose after ingesting a large quantity of cocaine. However, the real-life bear, while still scary if one were to walk up on it in the woods, was far less imposing than the 500-pound beast depicted in the upcoming film. In reality, the bear was reported as a 175 lb. black bear. 

Did The Bear Go On A Murderous Rampage?

The actual incident involving the wasted forest critter is a lot less bloody than what is shown in the movie. The massacre on display in the film's trailer is where Hollywood deviates from the truth. The bear was found dead from an overdose in the mountains of Fannin County, Georgia. The animal overdosed soon after discovering drugs that had been dropped from a plane by former police officer and convicted drug smuggler Andrew Thornton. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation found the bear next to 40 opened plastic containers with traces of cocaine. A Kentucky mall claims to be the proud owner of the taxidermied bear and has even used it as its mascot. 

Is The Bear The Only One That Died?

Sad, right? While the bear’s death is tragic, there was another death but not at the bear’s paws. Andrew Thornton – the pilot responsible for dropping the drugs for the bear to find – perished on September 11, 1985. He got caught in his parachute while attempting to jump from his autopilot Cessna aircraft and died. The Bureau reported Thornton had an overweight load which was ultimately the cause of his demise. 

Is A Bear Getting High On Cocaine The Only Ture Thing In The Movie?

Yes, the bear overdosing did happen, but also the involvement of Andrew Thornton will be shown in the film. The Welsh actor Matthew Rhys plays Thornton in the upcoming flick. How much the character will factor or what his ultimate outcome in the story will be, is yet to be seen, but he is based on a real-life person.

Cocaine Bear is only loosely based on real-life events. In truth, the film’s director Elizabeth Banks says she took far more inspiration from movies such as Stand By Me and from beloved directors like Sam Raimi, John Carpenter, and Steven Spielberg while directing her movie. No matter how you might feel about the real bear’s tragic death being used as inspiration for a bonkers film, it's hard to deny that movie looks like a ton of fun with plenty of F-bombs and dark humor.

Cocaine Bear claws its way into cinemas on February 24, and if you're close enough to the Kentucky Theater, you can swing by and take a picture with the bear that inspired the film's wild plot. While CinemaBlend readers wait for their chance to catch the inebriated bear in cinemas, they might be interested in checking out our 2023 movie schedule to plan their next movie theater experience. 

M3GAN has been taking the horror world by storm this month, so much so that M3GAN 2.0 is already in the works. However, come next month, there’ll be a new menace to entertain moviegoers, because Cocaine Bear is coming. Elizabeth Banks directed the upcoming horror movie, and ahead of its release, she’s getting some early promotion in by drinking a unique cocktail created by fellow actor Tom Hanks: a blend of Diet Coke and champagne, or “Diet Cokagne.” See what he did there?

Because Elizabeth Banks made Cocaine Bear, the Hollywood talent whose previous directorial credits include Pitch Perfect 2 and 2019’s Charlie’s Angels, decided now would be the right time to try Diet Cokagne, mixing two-thirds Diet Coke into a glass with one-third of Archer Roose-brand champagne. What did she think of the concoction? Watch the below TikTok video to find out:

In case you missed it earlier this month, while appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to plug his new movie A Man Called Otto, Tom Hanks shared how this past New Year’s, he decided to mix in a shot of champagne with the Diet Coke he’d been drinking, and the result was “delicious.” Hanks then recreated the drink on TV, and Colbert agreed that Diet Cokagne tasted good. Now we can count Elizabeth Banks as one of the drink’s supporters too, saying at the end of her video that it’s “freaking delicious.”

Sadly, Diet Cokagne isn’t one of the beverage options that will be available when you go to the theater to watch Cocaine Bear, but once the movie is available to view on home media, you’re welcome to kick back and enjoy the drink that has three celebrity endorsements. Now I wonder just how much this drink will take off? When the comes time to bid farewell to 2023 and usher in 2024, will we hear about people following Tom Hanks’ lead and enjoying Diet Cokagne rather than straight champagne? I can’t wait to find out.

As far as Cocaine Bear goes, the movie is based off the real-life story about an American black bear that ingested 75 pounds worth of cocaine in 1985 after smugglers dumped a duffel bag containing the drug in the wilderness of Georgia, United States. However, while the real-life bear simply died and was later taxidermied, the high AF bear in the movie goes on a chaotic rampage. Cocaine Bear’s cast includes Kerri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery-Jennings, Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and the late Ray Liotta, among others. Jimmy Warden wrote the script.

Cocaine Bear opens in theaters on February 24, but if you’re wondering what other movies are coming out this year, look through our 2023 release schedule for that information. And remember, please enjoy Diet Cokagne responsibly.

Elizabeth Banks clearly has a knack for headlining underdog films with her directorial debut being Pitch Perfect 2 and directing the Charlie’s Angels remake. Her next movie has a number of underdogs trying to get away from a bear who ate a whole lot of cocaine in Cocaine Bear. While this titular animal is supposed to be the story’s main antagonist, Banks explains why she feels “sympathy” for this carnivore. 

An important fact to know about Cocaine Bear is the unbelievable true story of what this dark comedy is based on. It follows an actual bear that ate millions of dollars' worth of cocaine after a failed drug smuggling operation caused it to crash-land in a Georgia forest in 1985. The real-life bear died of an overdose with his hide on display at Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall. Cocaine Bear director Elizabeth Banks told EW that these reasons in particular make her feel “sympathy” for the poor titular animal. She said:

Very true. Whether someone throws their junk in a forest or even in the ocean, it can mean deadly consequences for the surrounding animals. Luckily, the bear who eats a 500-pound bag of cocaine in Cocaine Bear is not a real bear, but a CGI bear named Cokey brought to life by Wētā FX and sometimes played on set by a bear performer named Allan Henry. All of these effects give us a high AF bear that slashes and drags his victims, not leaving without snorting drugs off their corpses. Banks even felt that Cokey would "outmatch" the bear from The Revenant even if Leonardo DiCaprio fought him before. 

If there’s any word to describe Cocaine Bear, according to producer Chris Miller, it would be “insane.” With the stakes being so high for the characters of this movie going against a bear coked out of his mind, Elizabeth Banks made sure that the carnage would look realistic based on research she did on real bear attack photos. But despite the horror aspects that audiences won’t be able to ignore, we can also expect to see the Brightburn star’s signature comedy style shine in this movie. She’s told Entertainment Weekly that she loves making people laugh and adding the comedy genre inside each movie she directs. This way, audiences can experience a whole range of emotions while watching her movies. 

Another influence that Elizabeth Banks paid homage to for Cocaine Bear was the 1986 classic Stand By Me, with children wandering in the woods dealing with situations beyond their maturity level. Having to tackle a drug-induced bear is definitely something no one is ready for. Banks also said she paid homage to directors Sam Raimi, John Carpenter, and Steven Spielberg in order to dive into the horror film world of the ‘80s. With nostalgic supernatural shows like Stranger Things bringing the ‘80s back, it would make sense why Banks would feel it’s a good time to create a similar work of art, even without the Upside Down. 

Elizabeth Banks’ reasons for feeling sympathy for Cokey the bear make a lot of sense since Cokey was just an innocent bear who died of an overdose after eating drugs left behind by irresponsible people. In a warped way, this movie could end up providing a lesson for those watching to be careful what you leave behind and to never mess with nature. You can watch the 2023 movie release of Cocaine Bear on February 24th.

Cocaine Bear is a 2023 movie release on its way to our hearts, given the movie’s inspirations. Director Elizabeth Banks, who is of course famous for her acting work, found her third movie to be behind the camera with Cocaine Bear. It’s her first horror movie and wow, did she look to the greats to tell the story of a bear who consumes 70 pounds of coke and goes insane any human nearby. 

When CinemaBlend attended a Los Angeles event for Cocaine Bear earlier this week, Elizabeth Banks shared some insight into what to expect from the upcoming horror movie, aside from that wild NSFW Cocaine Bear trailer that just dropped online. In her words: 

Banks has first-hand experience working with Sam Raimi on the Spider-Man movies as Betty Brant, even though she did screen test for MJ Watson. Though, she’s definitely thinking about his famed work in horror on things like the Evil Dead movies. The actor/director spoke about playing homage to Raimi along with filmmakers like Halloween’s John Carpenter and another all-time great. As she continued: 

It’s true. No part of me wants to see a shark when I go to the beach, but if I saw a bear on a trip to a national forest, part of me really wants to pet it. Elizabeth Banks implemented this element of Cocaine Bear thanks to looking at two of the most iconic movies of all time: Jaws and Jurassic Park. All that, and she told us that she and the cast all watched 1986 coming-of-age classic, Stand By Me before they began rolling cameras on the horror comedy. Despite Cocaine Bear looking like a really funny and vulgar horror movie, it sounds like it has a lot of dimensions to it. 

Additionally, during the event, Elizabeth Banks showed us a full scene from Cocaine Bear, which she likened to Fast and Furious because of the car chase elements. It’s produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who have teased that it's “insane” too. Given the mood board of inspirations that make up this movie, including it being also inspired by an actual bear who ingested cocaine in the ‘80s after a drug drop gone wrong, I’m certainly all in on Elizabeth Banks next directorial effort. 

Following an especially incredible year of horror, where do we go from here within 2023’s movie releases? One outrageously fun concept we’re set to see next year is Cocaine Bear, which is about a black bear who gets high on a ton of smuggled cocaine and goes unhinged on every human he sets his eyes on. Along with the Cocaine Bear trailer dropping, we saw an exclusive scene from the upcoming horror movie we’ve got to talk about. 

Earlier this week, CinemaBlend attended a press event for Cocaine Bear at the Alamo Drafthouse in Los Angeles, where director Elizabeth Banks showed us more of the horror comedy that has yet to be released. Part of the scene is shown in the trailer, but seeing it in the context of the movie was even better. It starts with two medics arriving at a home after answering a call regarding someone having a concussion. Little do they know they’re about to meet the Cocaine Bear. 

The scene is packed with comedic beats at first, as the two paramedics, played by Kahyun Kim and Scott Seiss, enter the home and find a dead man and a police officer (Margo Martindale) who is too stunned to speak and grasping a gun in her bloody hands. As Kim’s medic character keeps the police officer company, Seiss’ character takes a look around at the place and finds none other than the coked-up bear. At the same time, in the other room, the officer finally manages to yell out “BEAR!” sending them in flight mode. The other medic is left in the dust at first as Kim’s character takes Martindale’s injured cop into their van. 

Seiss’ medic runs to catch up with the ambulance as it zooms off and Cocaine Bear runs after all of them. He manages to get into the back of it, but the officer insists that he closes the “fucking door!” She begins shooting at it as the paramedic van continues to speed across the road. Unfortunately, the officer falls out of the van on the gurney and the bear takes a bite out of the other medic, showcasing some fun practical effects as his hand falls off. Immediately after showing the high-octane Cocaine Bear action scene, Banks told us this: 

Now the trailer of Cocaine Bear shows how fun this movie is going to be, but this extra clip really helped establish the tone of the movie. It’s packed with comedy, but this is also a legitimate horror movie too. I’m already pretty scared of Cocaine Bear, and Banks’ hold on the genre is clear amidst the joke-cracking. In terms of bringing in the titular bear, Banks also said this: 

Alongside Cocaine Bear’s real star, Weta Digital’s Allan Henry, the movie’s cast also includes Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson, Alden Ehrenreich, Sweet Tooth’s Christain Convery and the late Ray Liotta, who died in May at the age of 67 after making numerous beloved movies across his career. 

The movie follows Elizabeth Banks’ previous directing efforts in 2019’s Charlie’s Angels and 2015’s Pitch Perfect 2. The actress/filmmaker also made it with Into The Spider-Verse producers Chris Miller and Phil Lord, who previously called Cocaine Bear “insane.” We can look forward to catching the movie in theaters on February 24. 

In 1985, in the depths of Chattahoochee National Forest, a hunter discovered a dead 175-pound black bear who had just ingested 75 pounds of cocaine after a drug smuggler had unsuccessfully moved some drugs from Colombia to the United States. But what if this bear had just gotten super high and went crazy on locals in the forest? That is the story of the 2023 movie release Cocaine Bear. 

From Into the Spider-Verse producers Chris Miller and Phil Lord, who’ve previously teased how “insane” it is. The movie is also directed by Elizabeth Banks years after she helmed Charlie’s Angels comes the first trailer (you can watch above) for the upcoming horror movie / outrageous comedy. And from the looks of it, Cocaine Bear is going to be absolutely hilarious, vulgar and super gory. 

The script was written by The Babysitter: Killer Queen writer Jimmy Warden. When CinemaBlend attended a Los Angeles event for Cocaine Bear with Elizabeth Banks earlier this week, the actor/filmmaker shared her direction for the movie, saying this: 

The Cocaine Bear trailer adapts the wild piece of history with fiction as drug smugglers drop their blow in the national forest and the wild, fuzzy black bear consumes a whole block of it before causing quite the ruckus for everyone in the surrounding area. Among the cast is Solo’s Alden Ehrenreich, reteaming with Lord and Miller after his Star Wars movie, Keri Russell, Sweet Tooth’s Christian Convery and the late Ray Liotta as the movie’s drug kingpin hungry for coke after losing it in the drop gone wrong. 

Liotta’s upcoming role in Cocaine Bear is now among his final performances after the Goodfellas actor died at the age of 67 in May. Following his death, Martin Scorsese showed his regret not having worked with him again. It’ll be a treat to see the actor bring comedy to Cocaine Bear amidst the movie walking a line between ridiculousness and a slasher starring a high AF bear. 

The bear was created with the help of CGI from Weta Digital, which are the creatives behind The Planet of the Apes and Lord of the Rings movies. As the movie teases, there’s a ton of fun f-bombs, dark humor and slasher-like action as the bear gets high on cocaine and just runs wild. Cocaine Bear is set to hit theaters on February 24. 

Loki and Pitch Perfect are not two properties that have many obvious similarities. One is a time-travel adventure, multiverse-centered, action-packed show. The other is a movie franchise about college a capella groups. However, with the new Pitch Perfect series that follows the villain of the first movie, Bumper, Elizabeth Banks has explained how the Marvel show inspired the Pitch Perfect spin-off. 

While on The View Banks, who is an executive producer on the series, explained why Loki helped inspire the show, and it has to do with both characters' evolutions from villain to anti-hero. While Bumper is not out trying to save the universe from multiverse chaos, he is on his own journey of self-discovery and acceptance like Loki. Banks explained: 

Now that she said this, it does make sense. By watching the Marvel movies in order we’ve seen Tom Hiddleston's unexpectedly lovable character go from a devious villain who was trying to destroy Earth, to the mischievous brother of Thor who can be helpful at times. Then, in Loki, we saw him take more of a hero role, albeit in a very unconventional way, as he tried to figure out what was going on at the TVA. Now with Season 2 of Loki in Marvel’s lineup of upcoming shows, it seems like the god of mischief is on track to be even more of a hero. Loki’s evolution is honestly quite similar to Bumper’s in Pitch Perfect, so I can see why Banks would make this comparison. 

As for Adam DeVine’s role in the Pitch Perfect cast, there are some overarching similarities between Bumper and the Marvel character. In the first movie, Bumper is the rude and selfish leader of The Treblemakers. The character bullies multiple characters, and he leaves his group to pursue a solo singing career. He’s the clear villain of the first movie and no one really likes him; however, in the second one, he kind of redeems himself and becomes Amy’s (Rebel Wilson) love interest. Now, with this new show, it seems like we might get a bit of a redemption arc for Bumper. 

I think another reason these anti-hero stories work for characters like Loki and Bumper is that the actors who play them are incredibly charismatic. Both Hiddleston and DeVine are incredibly likable people, and their performances are so charming. It's impossible for me to not have a soft spot for their mischievous characters. 

Bumper in Berlin is on the fall TV schedule, and I’m excited to see if more parallels between the singer and the god of mischief keep coming up. You can watch the Pitch Perfect spin-off with a Peacock subscription, starting November, 23, and the first season of Loki is available with a Disney+ subscription. 

Elizabeth Banks is an example of a woman in the entertainment industry who wants to make her mark with the same equal respect that men have. She made her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2 as well as reprised her role of a cappella commentator Gail Abernathy-McKadden. The 48-year-old actress took on the directing project of the Charlie’s Angels reboot while starring as the iconic Bosley, and expressed she had some regrets about the movie.

What Elizabeth Banks’ directorial projects have in common is that they are female-run movies. I think this can give off the impression to some that the rising director has a “girl power” vibe instead of just simply directing a movie that happens to have female main characters. In an interview with The New York Times, Banks clarified that she was proud of Charlie’s Angels, but was disappointed with how people perceived what she was trying to accomplish.

It’s understandable that Banks would want her project to appeal to the masses and not just young girls. The Brightburn star expressed her wish to have wanted to direct a Mission: Impossible movie, but knew that wouldn’t happen because those movies are not typically directed by women. She continued to tell NY Times about how studio heads and corporations should be asked questions about why female directors tend to be given poor products with unsuccessful outcomes. It was said that one of the reasons more fans didn’t watch the new Charlie’s Angels movie was in its failure to find its audience. Deadline reported that the action movie aimed at a female demographic of girls/women ages 13-39. Looks as if men didn’t show much of an interest in seeing kick-ass women showing their stuff.

Despite the disappointing Charlie’s Angels performance the remake experienced, Elizabeth Banks still stands by the movie. She defended the studio going forward with the reboot of the 1970s show with the idea of reviving a franchise we haven’t seen in years. She has a point as the last time we saw a new generation of Angels was in the ill-fated 2011 TV reboot. The Seabiscuit actress remade Charlie’s Angels with the intention of giving women the opportunity to participate in an action franchise. I would say mission accomplished on that front. She also helped audiences see actress Kristen Stewart in a new light outside of Twilight in her surprising role as wild and rebellious Angel Sabrina. This movie could be an example of why superhero movies should no longer be thought of as a “male genre”, as Banks put it.

Things are still looking up for Elizabeth Banks as she continues to make her name in Hollywood in front and behind the camera. Her Charlie’s Angels follow-up came from being given the opportunity to choose a project by a roster of Universal monsters. She picked The Invisible Woman which she will direct and star in. This will be another chance for the Power Rangers star to introduce audiences to a female monster instead of the traditional male-gendered monsters we’ve seen throughout the years. She also told NY Times that her starring in the by-the-book film of abortion access in Call Jane was important to her in educating audiences about women’s reproductive justice. This talented actress-director is what Hollywood needs in order to tell stories by women to the masses.

Elizabeth Banks may regret that Charlie’s Angels came off as a female manifesto, but she’ll still continue her mission to bring stories to audiences that she’s proud of. You can watch the upcoming movie Call Jane which hits theaters on October 28th.

Based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling trilogy, The Hunger Games movies remain the most successful YA franchise behind the Harry Potter movies. While so many other adaptations of the genre have fallen short, a story centered on a dystopian future where a televised battle between children fighting to the death have really ignited audience interests across over a decade of filmmaking. But, how do each of the installments stack up against one another, if each movie had to fight to the death? 

The Hunger Games was not only early to the game when it comes to Jennifer Lawrence being a massive female lead of a genre franchise before Star Wars, Marvel or DC did it, the universe itself also tells the timely and timeless story of class struggles, excess, and survival. The movie adaptations remain strong films as a whole, even despite some shortcomings, inspiring the 2023 prequel about the origins of President Snow and another one on the way in 2026 based on Haymitch’s games . Now, let’s get to The Hunger Games ranking thus far: 

5. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

The 2014 third Hunger Games installment, Mockingjay Part 1, is not unwatchable, and it features some great moments in the franchise, but it’s definitely the weakest link of the five movies. After the previous films were thrilling spectacles that took us to the arena of The Hunger Games, Mockingjay Part 1 brings the series to a major slowdown as Katniss ventures to District 13 and truly learns to become the symbol of the rebellion, the Mockingjay. 

The main reason why Mockingjay Part 1 doesn’t work is probably because it is the result of Lionsgate deciding to split the last Hunger Games book up into two parts, like Twilight did before it, in order to bring in more money for the franchise before it wrapped up. From a business point of view, sure, it makes sense. But in terms of Mockingjay Part 1’s storyline, overall, that book did not need to be split into two parts, and Part 1 particularly suffered because of it. Director Francis Lawrence has even said he “totally regrets” turning the third book into two movies. 

That being said, Mockingjay Part 1 features a number of memorable moments in the franchise and some tension, as Peeta and Katniss separated. Peeta is under the Capitol’s grip as Katniss gets to know Julianne Moore’s President Coin and they work together to make Katniss a brand for the rebellion. Mockingjay Part 1 plays more as a middle-of-the-war film than the other Hunger Games movies. 

4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

The conclusion of The Hunger Games films, 2015’s Mockingjay Part 2 is not the best of the franchise either, but is likely a lot better than you remember it, especially in regards to how the ending was handled. After a disappointing third act in the previous film, Mockingjay Part 2 takes Katniss to the Capitol where she and a group of allies, including Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta and Liam Hemsworth’s Gale, being on one side with Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer, and Elden Hensen’s characters leading the rebellion. 

Although Mockingjay Part 2 feels like half of a movie (much like Part 1), it features an incredible finale, including Katniss’ final confrontations with President Snow and a twist ending that really drives home the messages of the franchise. The moment when Snow finally loses power is an all-time goosebump moment, and the time jump that features Katniss and Peeta’s bittersweet ending drives home their incredible performances as the characters. Jennifer Lawrence has a monologue about her “nightmares” from The Hunger Games that still gives fans chills and emotions just at the simple mention of it, and it still plays really well, especially after consecutive watches of all four films. 

3. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes

Nearly a decade after Katniss Everdeen’s hero’s journey came to a close with Mockingjay Part 2, the world of Panem returned with an adaptation of the 2020 novel, The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes. The movie takes audiences back in time when Corilanus Snow was a teenager long before he became the dystopian world’s president. Tom Blyth does an incredible job of portraying the character as he mentors a District 12 tribute in Rachel Zegler’s Lucy Gray Baird (who is very different from Katniss), and the two form a complicated romantic bond. 

The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes is a thrilling addition to the franchise, particularly in how the movie’s time period allows fans of the franchise to imagine a much more brutal game, along with deepening Snow’s backstory. However, at the same time, the installment never reaches the heights of Katniss’ original storyline, and can fall into some prequel traps we’ve seen too often in this Hollywood trend. 

2. The Hunger Games

Then, there's’ the  one that started it all, 2012’s The Hunger Games. It’s tough to not make this one No. 1, because without Gary Ross’ work in casting and establishing the world of Panem with his writing and direction, we’d have a very different franchise. The Hunger Games is an incredibly stylish take on Suzanne Collins' source material and will go down in history as one of the best big-screen realizations of a popular genre novel. From the shaky camera work in the arena, to production and costume design, and James Newton Howard’s great score, there’s a lot Ross did right when adapting the source material. 

The Hunger Games is not a perfect movie, but features a number of winning scenes that are iconic to the franchise. Between the interview scenes with Stanley Tucci’s Caesar Flickerman, the heartbreaking Rue moment, and the well-orchestrated final moments between Katniss and Peeta, it’s an impressive adaptation of the story of the Girl on Fire. There’s a refreshing dryness and groundedness about it that is not only tough to accomplish, but sets the bar high for the franchise as a whole to succeed under Francis Lawrence’s direction for the remainder of the series.  

1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire 

The best Hunger Games movie remains to be its first sequel, 2013’s Catching Fire. After the first movie established the world and its key characters, this movie elevates what made it great, and ups the stakes. While there’s an inherent awkwardness about the original movie, to the fault of the sometimes alienating material, Catching Fire catches all the moving parts at a more comfortable place and becomes a better version of itself the second time around. 

Lawrence and Hutcherson’s Katniss and Peeta are clearly more comfortable around each other this time around, with the Quarter Quell there’s more room for the movie to build its other contestants and make us care about them. The franchise’s themes are more poignant than ever, especially as Katniss and Peeta tour Panem following their groundbreaking joint-win. There’s a really exciting urgency about Catching Fire that is both incredibly captured into a major, blockbuster popcorn film, and places a large emphasis on the forwarding of its characters, while featuring some show-stopping sequences that remain to signify the best of the Hunger Games legacy thus far. 

Of course, we all have our favorites in the franchise. Overall, The Hunger Games is a rare, strong YA franchise that benefitted from Francis Lawrence remaining at the helm of the films following Gary Ross starting the movies off with the original. The Hunger Games will continue with the prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping. Collins’ novel will be released on March 18, 2025 before the Lionsgate movie heads to theaters on November 20, 2026. Now to wonder, how it will stack up against this list. 

Harry Styles is an accomplished actor and recording artist who has been in the public eye for a number of years. Throughout his time a celebrity, the One Direction alum has maintained his status as a sex symbol, continuing to this day. And after Styles dropped a brand new thirst trap, Charlie’s Angels actor-director Elizabeth Banks had an A+ response.

Since embarking on his solo career, Harry Styles has adopted a signature style in his clothes and music, which the public has really responded to. The 28 year-old multihyphenate recently did a campaign for Better Homes and Garden, which features one particular thirst trap that offers a peek at his washboard abs. You can check out the steamy image for yourself below,

While that body of water doesn’t exactly look clear, I’m sure there are countless folks out there who would dive head first in for a chance to hang out with Harry Styles. Especially while he’s showing off his abs and hanging out in his underwear. And that seemingly includes one Elizabeth Banks. 

The above image of Harry Styles quickly made its rounds online upon its release to the masses. And after being shared by countless fans on Twitter and Instagram, some notable celebs have given their own two cents. Elizabeth Banks shared the photo on her personal Twitter, including the hilarious caption:

Smart money says that Elizabeth Banks isn’t the only person having this same thought. But the Hunger Games icon was just the one brave enough to share it to the twittersphere. And for that, and many reasons, she’s a true hero among us.

Those looking to see more steamy content from Harry Styles can look forward to the upcoming movie Don’t Worry Darling. Directed by his real-life girlfriend Olivia Wilde, the movie recently revealed footage at CinemaCon featuring Styles and Florence Pugh getting hot and heavy. Widle was also seemingly served legal papers in the middle of her presentation, which definitely turned a few heads.

Aside from Don’t Worry Darling, Harry Styles recently made a splash on the big screen when appearing in the mid-credits scene of Marvel’s Eternals. Fans can’t wait to see the Dunkirk actor have a major role in the MCU, and being Thanos’ brother definitely adds some stakes to his character Eros. Although there’s been no indication as to whether or not Eternals will be getting a big screen sequel.

Harry Styles recently played a set at Coachella, including a surprise appearance by Shania Twain. So while his movie career is taking off, his work as a recording artist isn’t going anywhere. We’ll just have to see what thirst traps come next, and if more celebrities voice their approval.

Don’t Worry Darling will hit theaters on September 23rd. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

As abortion access continues to be a debated topic amongst U.S. officials to this day, one of the Sundance Film Festival’s most buzzy releases this year is going back to the ‘60s. Call Jane is a star-studded historical drama that features Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver playing two women in that decade who fought for women’s rights by taking the issue into their own hands. While it’s not nearly among the best films at the festival, the story itself is worth your time. 

Call Jane is directed by Phyllis Nagy (who wrote 2015’s awards darling Carol) and informs its audience on the Jane Collective, which was an underground abortion access service ran by women from the late ‘60s up until Roe v. Wade was passed in 1973. Elizabeth Banks, who has been vocal about women’s topics in Hollywood before, leads the film as Joy, a fictional housewife who finds herself looking to get an abortion when her doctor shares that the procedure would be in the best favor of her health. 

As Joy quickly learns, she will have to claim that she is on the brink of suicide in order to get approved for the procedure, and once she does get permission, the way it's offered to her is super sketchy and terrifying. It’s then that Joy finds the Janes, which was a real organization that helped women who needed abortions when the government failed to provide these resources to them. Former Alien star Sigourney Weaver plays Virginia, a leader in the Janes, and she and Joy form a professional partnership to help more women who need it. 

Unfortunately, Call Jane will likely be another under-the-radar movie about women’s rights to be rarely referenced except during times like Women’s History Month, because it’s not a particularly strong Sundance offering. The movie is a very by-the-book exploration of the Jane Collective, and the fact that Joy’s story is fictional only contributes to this. That being said, I’m still happy I checked out, because it gave me more perspective on the history of abortion access in the U.S.

The biggest standout moments of Call Jane is when the movie is getting specific about the abortion procedure. Movies and television very seldom get into the nitty gritty of what it’s like to get an abortion (especially in the ‘60s), but Call Jane takes its audiences through the process with Elizabeth Banks’ Joy and later on with other women. Don’t worry, it’s not graphic or anything. Allowing audiences to be in the shoes of a woman getting an abortion is the step in the right direction of destigmatizing the topic. 

Call Jane could also further the conversation in terms of showcasing the myriad of reasons women seek abortions. One woman cannot continue her chemo treatment without an abortion, for example, while many others were led astray by the sex education system as to how one can get pregnant or raped. 

The movie has yet to receive a wide release, but follow along here on CinemaBlend for more Sundance coverage as more films from the festival screen for critics this week.

When your movie is titled Cocaine Bear, you don’t need much else, right? Your audience is either all in on Cocaine Bear, or they never were going to have Cocaine Bear on their radar, so why bother? Director Elizabeth Banks saw the appeal of the true story, which details a 175-pound bear who, upon discovering a duffle bag packed with coke, decided he’d become the ultimate party animal. We are beyond intrigued. So when given the chance to speak with Cocaine Bear producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, CinemaBlend asked them to describe Banks’ film in one word, and Miller told us:

Chris Miller apparently understands that even HE doesn’t have to sell Cocaine Bear too hard. This future Oscar contender about a bear that overdoses on cocaine is already on track to unseat Avatar as the top global box office leader, so why not keep those cards close to the vest. Dangle the word “insane” to the salivating Bear nuts, but do your best to keep them guessing. 

Phil Lord and Chris Miller were in Savannah, Georgia this week to attend the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, where they accompanied director Mike Rianda to present his winning family comedy The Mitchells vs. The Machines, an animated romp that speaks to the types of stories Lord and Miller like to support. These are the guys who turned harmless Lego bricks into a wondrous franchise that reinvented Batman (Will Arnett) and educated the world on Master Builders. They turned the hopelessly corny TV series 21 Jump Street into a two-film comedy hit. They see stories through a different lens, and that makes Cocaine Bear the ideal project for them to throw their weight behind.

OK, so, what is this movie really about? Here are the facts we know. In 1985, former narcotics officer Andrew C. Thornton tossed a duffle bag filled with smuggled cocaine from a plane because his tiny craft was carrying too much weight. By this point in his career, Thornton had switched over to the Dark Side of the drug trade, and was smuggling his own stuff. This duffle bag landed in the woods of northern Georgia, where our hero - the titular bear - found it and sniffed it all up. 

Victory. 

Elizabeth Banks has directed Pitch Perfect 2 and the recent Charlie’s Angels reboot, sharpening her skills before tackling Cocaine Bear. She is bringing along a talented cast for this “insane” effort, including Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson, Ray Liotta, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Margot Martindale. Principal photography just wrapped on October 17, so we’re expecting to see the film in 2022. Not sure when. Likely during awards season. (OK, I’m kidding. I just want to live in a world where Harrison Ford needs to stand on stage at the Academy Awards and announce the title Cocaine Bear. Because Cocaine Bear!)

If you've been awaiting aca-mazing news on the Pitch Perfect front since the third film in the franchise released in 2017, well, today just might be your lucky day. While it doesn't look like there are plans for Pitch Perfect 4 on the horizon, that doesn't mean that the a cappella shenanigans of the students (and alums) of Barden University are completely over, as it's been announced that the movie is set to become a streaming TV series, and will star one of the film's leads: Adam Devine.

Today, Peacock announced that it had given a straight to series order to a Pitch Perfect show, and that it will have Adam Devine as one its stars. Devine portrayed vocal villain (and leader of the Barden Bellas' rival a cappella group, the Treblemakers) Bumper Allen in the first two films, and is returning to reprise his role as the egotistical songster in the show. Those who tune in will follow Bumper as he moves to Germany in order to attempt to revive his music career after one of his songs becomes a big hit in Berlin, several years after his time at Barden.

Even better than the news of Adam Devine returning to the franchise for the new series, fans can also be assured that the material will be handled in a way that pays respect to the movies, because several of the behind the scenes players will be involved in the show, as well. Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman of Brownstone Productions will be executive producing, along with Paul Brooks and Scott Neimeyer from Gold Circle Films, and Megan Amram, with star Adam Devine also executive producing.

Those who love the films will know that Banks appeared in all three of the Pitch Perfect movies, along with directing the second one, which led to the movie hitting the history books for having the highest opening weekend for a musical, the best opening for a first-time feature film director, and the second-largest opening for a female director, when it debuted in 2015. Brownstone and Gold Circle were behind production on the entire film series.

Luckily, Pitch Perfect is being billed as a show that will add to the many memorable musical moments given to us by the movies, as the statement released by Peacock notes that it will provide "more earworm classics for super fans to enjoy." Plus with the focus on Devine's character in this spinoff, it's been said that we can look forward to him "bringing fans the quirky, laugh-out-loud sensibility they loved in the film franchise."

While this will be a new type of take on Pitch Perfect, it definitely sounds like a plan is in place to make sure that fans are going to find the same enjoyment in the series as they did in the films. And, even though there don't seem to be firm intentions right now to have anyone else from the movies show up, there's always a possibility.

We don't know when Pitch Perfect will arrive on Peacock yet or how many episodes it will have, but there will probably be more details coming over the next several months.

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In 2012, Pitch Perfect stole our hearts and made competitive college singing groups semi-cool. It then went on to have two sequels: Pitch Perfect 2 and Pitch Perfect 3. The Pitch Perfect franchise made Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, and others big household names. This aca-fun film still has a dedicated fan base willing and ready to pull out a cup when necessary.

It’s been several years since the last Pitch Perfect film graced the theaters, and the cast has worked in other projects, everything from scripted television to reality TV show judging and releasing full albums. Let’s explore what Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and the rest of the Pitch Perfect cast has been up to since the last film, and their upcoming projects.

Anna Kendrick (Beca)

Anna Kendrick played Beca in all three Pitch Perfect films. She’s a bit of a rebel at first and doesn’t take the Barden Bellas that seriously, but she bonds with the women and finds her voice within the group. In May 2021, Kendrick joined the cast of Rodney & Sheryl, a movie about a woman who appeared on a TV dating show and chose a serial killer as her date. In August 2019, Anna Kendrick joined the cast of the crime thriller Unsound. Unsound tells the story of a state trooper who faces the challenge of irreversible hearing loss while investigating the prison escape of a gang member.

In 2021, Kendrick will make an appearance in season 2 of Love Life. She was the lead of season 1 of this HBO Max series. Also in 2021, Kendrick was part of the cast of Netflix’s Stowaway. In 2020, she returned to the world of Trolls for Trolls World Tour, and Kendrick had a lead role in the Quibi series Dummy.

Rebel Wilson (Fat Amy)

In Pitch Perfect, Rebel Wilson played Fat Amy, a young woman not afraid to be her unapologetic self, which usually led to comedic gold. As of June 2021, Wilson is currently filming Senior Year, a movie about a cheerleader who wakes from a coma 20-years later and goes back to high school to regain her queen-bee status. Rebel Wilson plays the lead character. She also stars in the upcoming film The Almond and the Seahorse. It’s a drama based on the stage play of the same name, and follows people who are suffering from traumatic brain injuries and their families.

2019 was a busy year for Wilson, as she starred in Isn’t It Romantic.The film reunited her with Pitch Perfect co-star Adam DeVine. She also starred opposite Anne Hathaway in The Hustle and had a role in the infamous Cats. Also in 2019, Wilson had a supporting role in the Oscar-winning film Jojo Rabbit.

Brittany Snow (Chloe)

Brittany Snow played the simple but sweet Chloe in all three Pitch Perfect films. She was one of the original Bellas who worked to recruit Beca and the others. Brittany Snow will appear alongside Jenna Ortega, Kid Cudi, and Mia Goth in the upcoming A24 horror-thriller X. Details about the film are mainly being kept a secret, but the Hollywood Reporter mentioned the plot surrounding the making of an adult film. Brittany Snow is set to star opposite Luke Bracey in the upcoming film Big Nickel.

In 2017, Snow signed on for the film Stripped with Charlie Cox. As of June 2021, the film, according to IMDB, is still in the pre-production stage. From 2019 to 2020, Snow was one of the co-leads of the short-lived series Almost Family. It followed women who discover that they are sisters because their father was a sperm donor to many children. Also in 2020, Snow co-starred in the romantic comedy, Hooking Up, with Sam Richardson.

Anna Camp (Aubrey)

Anna Camp played Aubrey, the disgraced leader of the Bellas who must recruit new women in order to try to regain the group’s former glory. In June 2021, Camp starred in a short film called Graceland that debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival. It followed a Southern mother who must learn to understand her daughter after she claims to be the reincarnated spirit of the king of rock and roll. Camp will star in the upcoming Western Murder At Emigrant Gulch.

In 2020, Anna Camp appeared in two popular Netflix films: The Lovebirds and Desperados. From 2019 to 2020, she had the lead role of Ginny in the short-lived NBC show Perfect Harmony. She also appeared in episodes of Unwanted and Creepshow.

Skylar Astin (Jesse)

Skylar Astin played Jesse in the first two Pitch Perfect movies. He’s part of the all-male rival acapella group The Treblemakers. He was also Beca’s main love interest in the first two films. Astin played lead character Max on the recently canceled Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist from 2020 to 2021. He also lends his voice to TrollsTopia as Branch.

In 2020, Astin appeared in the films Ghosts of War and Secret Society of Second-Born Royals. From 2018 to 2019, he took over the role of Greg Serrano (who was previously played by Santino Fontana) on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. In 2019, Astin played the Baker in the Hollywood Bowl production of Into the Woods.

Adam DeVine (Bumper)

Bumper was one of the leading members of The Treblemakers. He eventually softened up his antics a bit in Pitch Perfect 2, and fell for Amy. Adam DeVine lends his voice to the Green Eggs and Ham series as Sam-I-Am. He also voices Poltergeist Pat in Vampirina. Adam DeVine is also one of the lead characters of The Righteous Gemstones. Season 2 is expected to premiere sometime in 2021.

In 2020, Adam Devine appeared in the Disney Original movie Magic Camp. As of 2021, he’s set to appear in the animated film Extinct. DeVine has also appeared in the movies Jexi, Isn’t It Romantic, Game Over, Man!, The Package, When We First Met, and the series Modern Family.

Ester Dean (Cynthia Rose)

Ester Dean played tough and talented Cynthia Rose in the Pitch Perfect franchise. Dean joined her Pitch Perfect co-star Anna Kendrick in Trolls World Tour. She voiced Legsly. Since 2019, Ester Dean has held judging duties on the reality singing series Songland. As of June 2021, it has yet to be canceled or renewed for a third season.

Dean will be a judge on the upcoming reality series Clash of the Cover Bands. She was a respected songwriter and producer before starring in Pitch Perfect, since the films, she has written songs like “Thinkin Bout You” for Ciara and “Solo Quiero” for Leona Lewis, Cali Y El Dandee, and Juan Magan.

Hana Mae Lee (Lily)

Hana Mae Lee’s character Lily was best known for her whispering and the creepy comments she made while whispering. Lily became one of the scene stealers of the Pitch Perfect films. Lee will appear in the upcoming horror film Abruptio. The cast of Abruptio includes James Marsters, Jordan Peele, Robert Englund, and Sid Haig. The film has been in production since 2015 but is rumored to be released in 2021. Lee will also appear in the upcoming film, Habits, starring Paris Jackson and Bella Thorne.

In 2017, Lee played Sonya in The Babysitter. She reprised her role in the 2020 sequel, The Babysitter: Killer Queen. Hana Mae Lee has also appeared in the series Those Who Can’t, Patriot, and Perpetual Grace, LTD.

Ben Platt (Benji)

Ben Platt played Benji in the first two Pitch Perfect movies. He was Jesse’s roommate, a bit of a magic nerd, and also an aspiring member of The Treblemakers (at least in the first film). Ben Platt will play Evan Hansen in the upcoming Dear Evan Hansen movie. The film is based on the Broadway musical of the same name, where Platt starred in the first production of the show. It’s set to debut in theaters on September 24, 2021. It’s one of the highly anticipated 2021 movies. Platt will star opposite Lola Kirke and Yvette Nicole Brown in Broken Diamond.

In a little less than 20 years from now, Platt will appear alongside real-life best friend Beanie Feldstein and Blake Jenner in Merrily We Roll Along. As of March 2021, he was in talks to star opposite Allison Janney and Annie Murphy in the film adaptation of The People We Hate At Weddings.

Platt is the lead character on Ryan Murphy’s dramedy The Politician. As of June 2021, The Politician has yet to be renewed or canceled. In 2020, Platt appeared on the reality series Songland and voiced a character on The Simpsons. Also in 2019, Platt released his first studio album, Sing to Me Instead.

Hailee Steinfeld (Emily)

Hailee Steinfeld first entered the world of Pitch Perfect in Pitch Perfect 2. She was a freshman recruit and a legacy Bella. As of 2021, Steinfeld plays Emily Dickinson in the Apple TV+ original series Dickinson. In late 2021, she will make her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kate Bishop in Hawkeye. In 2022, Steinfeld will reprise her voice role as Gwen Stacy in the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

In 2020, Steinfeld released an EP called Half Written Story. It contains five tracks, including “Wrong Direction,” and “I Love You’s.” In 2019, she appeared in the latest Charlie’s Angels movie and Between Two Ferns: The Movie.

Elizabeth Banks (Gail)

Elizabeth Banks played Gail in the Pitch Perfect movies. Gail is one of the announcers for the acapella competitions. Banks also directed Pitch Perfect 2. In 2019, she once again sat in the director's chair for Charlie’s Angels. She is also planning to direct the Red Queen series for Peacock, and she will have a major supporting role in the show if it’s picked up. Banks will star alongside Sigourney Weaver and Kate Mara in the upcoming drama Call Jane.

In 2019, Banks appeared in the horror film Brightburn. In 2020, she played Jill Ruckelshaus in Mrs. America. As of June 2021, Banks also hosts the game show Press Your Luck on ABC.

The first Pitch Perfect film is currently available to stream on HBO Max. Stream it here.

Love her or hate her, Hunger Games’ District 12 escort Effie Trinket is still a fashion icon. Honestly, this is her dystopian future and we’re just living it. Exhibit A is “Old Town Road” singer Lil Nas X totally channeling her bold and bright sensibilities for a segment of the viral music video for his new song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” and Elizabeth Banks has caught on.

Elizabeth Banks, who played Effie Trinket in the Hunger Games films from 2012 to 2015, took notice of Lil Nas X’s fashion statement on Instagram and showed the 21-year-old support for the fashion statement. Check it:

Earlier this week, Lil Nas X released his high-concept music video for “Montero,” and it has already generated over 68 million views on YouTube. The video has been the subject of some controversy from conservatives. Elizabeth Banks placed herself on Lil Nas X's side by commenting that she was “thrilled” to see him wearing a Hunger Games-type outfit, along with saying “you do you.”

It’s a change of pace for Lil Nas X after some right-wing names spoke out against the “Montero” music video. One Fox News commentator called the singer “desperate and really pathetic” for releasing the music video that involves some biblical themes. Within the “Montero” video, Lil Nas X meets a snake in a place likened to the Garden of Eden before sliding down a pole to Hell and giving the Devil a lap dance. Check out the video below:

In the middle of the video, it’s easy to see why some Hunger Games fans are being reminded of Effie Trinket. Lil Nas X got dolled up in a bright blue wig paired with blue eyeshadow in a grand location not unlike the series’ capitol of Panem. Elizabeth Banks certainly caught on and seems to be a fan of the singer’s work.

Lil Nas X is also embroiled in a lawsuit with Nike after releasing a line of limited edition “Satan shoes” to pair with the music video’s release. The shoes angered people after word came out that they allegedly contain real human blood, and due to its alignment with the Devil during the Christian faith’s Holy Week.

The “Montero'' music video was apparently made with a very specific message in mind about how it feels to be a person in the LGBTQ+ community among religious institutions. Lil Nas X specified on Twitter that he spent his entire teenage years “hating” himself because he was gay due to institutions claiming it is a sin. The video has the singer metaphorically becoming what he has been seen as by dancing with the devil.

Controversies aside, Lil Nas X totally rocked that Panem look!

After Universal had its movie monster properties long locked away, the studio has tried its hand at revitalizing characters a couple of times over. Remember I, Frankenstein and Dracula Untold? Yeah, those didn’t go over so well. Then came plans for the Dark Universe, starting with Tom Cruise’s The Mummy flop… which also led Universal to shift course. But, after the release and success of Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man, classic movie monsters are coming in droves. From Whannell’s plans to reimagine The Wolf Man with Ryan Gosling to Conjuring universe filmmaker James Wan taking on Frankenstein, there’s a lot to be excited for here.

After The Invisible Man scored big for Universal and Blumhouse, the pair of studios reportedly is really going all in with their classic movie monster properties, supposedly beginning a strategy that would forgo their previous plans to interconnect a monster universe, and instead finance standalone projects rooted in filmmakers’ visions. Just prior to the pandemic likely slowing down some of these productions, it was reported that execs were going by a “best idea wins” approach surrounding their monster properties and there've been a lot of good ideas. Here are the upcoming projects based on Universal’s classic monster movies in development:

Bride Of Frankenstein

The first of the batch has some roots in the collapsed Dark Universe with The Mummy script writer David Koepp still set to be behind the Bride of Frankenstein movie. It was initially in the works to be part of Universal’s shared universe with Beauty and the Beast’s Bill Condon directing, and starring Angelina Jolie (she is no longer involved). Since the Dark Universe fell apart, some of these plans went with it, but Koepp’s script is still reportedly moving forward.

Last summer, Koepp said he delivered a new draft to Universal and new directors were being determined for Bride of Frankenstein. (And we have some ideas by the way, Universal!) The writer (who also wrote Jurassic Park and Spider-Man) has said the movie will discuss the idea of ownership of women that is especially relevant in the #MeToo era. At the same time, Scarlett Johansson will be adapting the character in a different way for an A24 movie called Bride.

Dark Army

Paul Feig is a director who is primarily known for making comedies, but he has really played with genre over the years with movies like the crime thriller A Simple Favor, buddy cop movie The Heat, or his Ghostbusters. He’ll contribute to Universal’s movie monster slate with a movie called Dark Army, which will be an homage to James Whale’s old monster movies that started it all for Universal. Feig said he will play into the source material and how monsters can be extreme versions of "outsiders."

Earlier this month, Paul Feig offered an update on the project, explaining that the studio executives might think it’s “a little too expensive,” but he vowed that he will make the movie. He called Dark Army one his favorite things he’s ever written, especially in terms of the lead character he wrote for it. Feig always makes fun movies, and his take on the monster movie sounds like a fun idea.

Karyn Kusama's Dracula

There are a couple of different takes on Dracula coming up from Universal. The first one is from Karyn Kusama, who has found a unique voice in the horror space already with her work on cult favorite Jennifer’s Body with Megan Fox, and the slow-burn 2016 indie The Invitation. It was announced in March that Kusama would be reviving Dracula for Universal and Blumhouse, and she has since explained that it will be a faithful adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel previously adapted by Francis Ford Coppola in 1992.

Kusama wants to do justice to the book, specifically in terms of the different points of view illustrated in the book. It sounds like novel fans will be excited for this remake specifically, but as the filmmaker warned, it won’t be the “romantic hero” version of Dracula we also know and love.

Chloe Zhao’s Dracula

Just recently it was also announced that Nomadland director Chloe Zhao would be making her own Dracula movie using a much different approach. Zhao will direct, write and produce a version of the classic monster that will be an “original, futuristic, sci-fi Western.” Within the announcement, Zhao said she’s always been fascinated by vampires and the concept of the “Other.”

Zhao has been receiving some serious praise for her recent work in Nomadland, which is expected to head into Oscar season, potentially as a Best Picture frontrunner, along with a Best Director nod for Zhao. After Nomadland, Zhao also has directed a Marvel movie in Eternals, which will see Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, and Salma Hayek playing all-powered beings for a particularly original and large-scale production for the MCU. Zhao is doing it all!

Frankenstein

Frankenstein has always remained a staple story to inspire many other versions of Mary Shelley’s monster story. The mind behind Warner Bros' wildly successful Conjuring universe, James Wan, is stepping into the property next for a version of the story that will involve a group of teens who discover that a neighbor is building a monster in his basement … and then he gets loose. The project has been compared to Disturbia and Stranger Things.

It sounds like a fun take on Frankenstein just from the plotline, but it could very well be layered in the original storyline’s depth and sadness as well. Who knows? Wan has had good luck with establishing his horror universe over at Warner Bros, and has since ventured into the DCEU with Aquaman.

The Invisible Woman

When Elisabeth Moss was first cast in the The Invisible Man reboot, there were ideas being thrown around about it potentially being a gender-swapped movie. Now that we’ve seen Leigh Whannell’s fantastic horror film, we know it kept the Invisible Man male, but did switch the perspective toward the that of a woman who's being haunted by an ex-boyfriend she cannot see. Following that movie, Charlie’s Angels’ Elizabeth Banks is actually planning on making a separate Invisible Woman movie which she will direct.

It’s going to be quite different from The Invisible Man, since it’s being described as Thelma & Louise meets American Psycho. Given Banks’ work thus far, we’d imagine it will have more of a comedic touch than we’re used to for this property. It is being written by Girl on the Train’s Erin Cressida.

Little Monsters

Universal is really covering all its bases genre-wise also, with a live-action / animation hybrid called Little Monsters from the writer/director behind Toy Story 4, Josh Cooley. The movie that was announced back in July will reportedly be a love letter to classic Hollywood and take a “multigenerational approach” to monsters.

This Little Monsters should not be confused by the Howie Mandel-led movie of the same name about the monsters that live under a boy's bed. It sounds as if this Little Monsters film could be about the kids of classic monsters, but we’ll have to wait and see!

Monster Mash

Jumping off the previous entry is Monster Mash, which will be an original musical Universal is also producing. It will be written by Will Widger and directed by music video filmmaker Matt Stawski. He has made music videos for everyone from Paramore, CeeLo Green to Train. We don’t know a lot about Monster Mash right now, but it was announced about a year ago and is expected to be a riff off the classic song we’ve grown accustomed to hearing during Halloween season.

Renfield

Yet another fresh take on the Dracula storyline will come via Dexter Fletcher's Renfield movie. Renfield is the henchman of Dracula. In Bram Stoker’s novel, he is a patient in an asylum and the right hand man to the vampire’s bloodsucking. We’re not sure if Renfield will be yet another gateway to a Dracula story, or give Renfield his own vehicle, but come on, who would Renfield be without Dracula?

The movie was reportedly pitched by Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and will be written by Rick and Morty writer Ryan Ridley. Dexter Fletcher directed the Elton John biopic musical Rocketman and Eddie the Eagle, both with Taron Egerton, so perhaps the actor will play Renfield? We’ll keep our eyes peeled.

The Wolf Man

An especially exciting project coming from Universal (and Blumhouse) following The Invisible Man, is Leigh Whannell’s take on The Wolf Man with Ryan Gosling. Whannell will write and direct the project that will see the La La Land actor playing an anchorman who becomes the Wolf Man. The movie is being compared to Nightcrawler and Network, leading us to believe he may be committing crimes and then reporting his exclusives the next morning.

There’s a ton of fresh takes to go around with Universal’s new strategy to make use of its horror properties. These projects seem to offer a bit for everyone and we can’t wait to see them come to fruition in the next few years.

Telling the incredible true story of Frank Abagnale, a teenager who performs several cons worth millions of dollars, 2002's Catch Me If You Can features an all-star cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, and Christopher Walken, and the skilled hand of Steven Spielberg at the helm. It became one of his splashiest successes in the early 21st century, resulting in over $350 million at the box office, widespread acclaim, and two Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor for Walken and Best Score for John Williams, respectively.

Now that it's been nearly 20 years since the film's glitzy premiere, what is the high-profile ensemble working on now? Let's take a look and find out!

Leonardo DiCaprio (Frank Abagnale)

As Frank Abagnale, our smart and sophisticated teenager who becomes an ace con artist, Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his best performances in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. A bonafide A-list movie star, DiCaprio is an Oscar-winning actor for his lead performance in The Revenant. He's also well-known for his work in Titanic, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Departed, Gangs of New York, Romeo + Juliet, The Aviator, Inception, Blood Diamond, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Great Gatsby, and Django Unchained, to name only a few titles.

Most recently, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. He also made an uncredited appearance in the mini-series, Grant, where he served as an executive producer. Next, DiCaprio is filming a role in Adam McKay's Don't Look Up. Additionally, he's expected to enter production on Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon starting in February 2021. He's also set to produce this new Scorsese joint. Furthermore, outside of acting, DiCaprio is a producer on Atari and several more upcoming movies and shows.

Tom Hanks (Carl Hanratty)

Playing the part of Carl Hanratty, a hard-nosed FBI agent tracking Frank Abagnale's unlawful trial, Tom Hanks played the second lead in 2002's Catch Me If You Can. A two-time Oscar-winning actor for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks is unquestionably one of the most famous celebrities on the planet. Some of his most notable credits include (but aren't limited to) the Toy Story movies, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, Big, Splash, Captain Phillips, Cast Away, The Green Mile, The Da Vinci Code, Sleepless in Seattle, You Got Mail, A League of Their Own, Turner & Hooch, The Polar Express, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. He also wrote, directed, produced, and starred in That Thing You Do! and Larry Crowne.

Most recently, Tom Hanks starred in Greyhound, which he also wrote, and News of the World, which he also produced. Additionally, he made a cameo as himself in Amazon Prime's Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Next, Hanks stars in BIOS. Currently, he's filming a role in Elvis, and he's set to play Geppetto in Robert Zemeckis' Pinocchio.

Christopher Walken (Frank Abagnale Sr.)

In the role of Frank Abagnale Sr., Frank Abagnale's father, Christopher Walken gave an Oscar-nominated performance in Catch Me If You Can. Having appeared in over 100 movies and TV programs throughout his extensive career, Walken is best known for his Oscar-winning performance in The Deer Hunter. He's also well-known for his work in Pulp Fiction, Annie Hall, A View to a Kill, Batman Returns, The Dead Zone, The Dogs of War, Vendetta, Seven Psychopaths, The Prophecy, The Jungle Book (2016), Antz, Irreplaceable You, Kangaroo Jack, The Stepford Wives (2004), Balls of Fury, Domino, The Rundown, and Blast from the Past. Additionally, Walken was famously in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" music video.

Most recently, Christopher Walken was seen in The Jesus Rolls, The War with Grandpa, and Wild Mountain Thyme. Next, the actor stars in Percy. He's also set to frontline AppleTV+'s Severance and Amazon/BBC's The Offenders.

Martin Sheen (Roger Strong)

As Roger Strong, an attorney and Brenda's father, Martin Sheen plays a notable supporting role in 2002's Catch Me If You Can. Most notable, Sheen is known for his starring roles in Badlands, Apocalypse Now, and The West Wing. His other famous film credits include The Subject Was Roses, The Amazing Spider-Man, Gettysburg, The American President, Spawn, Dead Presidents, The Departed, O, Bobby, The California Kid, Hot Shots! Part Deux, and Catch-22 (1970). Additionally, on television, Sheen was seen in Grace and Frankie, Anger Management, Columbo, Mission: Impossible, The Streets of San Francisco, Tales from the Crypt, and Two and a Half Men.

Most recently, Martin Sheen was seen in The Devil Has a Name. The actor also reprised his role as President Josiah Bartlet for A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote. Next, Sheen will appear in Judas and the Black Messiah, which arrives February 2021 in theaters and HBO Max.  He also recently filmed a part in 12 Mighty Orphans. Additionally, he'll be seen in the seventh and final season of Netflix's Grace and Frankie later this year.

Nathalie Baye (Paula Abagnale)

Playing the part of Paula Abagnale, Frank's mother, Natalie Baye had a maternal role in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. An actress with more than 80 films on her resume, Baye is best known for her work in Tell No One, Every Man for Himself, Strange Affair, La Balance, The Young Lieutenant, Day for Night, The Assistant (2015), The Mouth Agape, The Ant Bully, Laurence Anyways, Queens of the Ring, It's Only the End of the World, Venus Beauty, and An Affair of Love.

Most recently, Nathalie Baye appeared in the dramedy film, My Best Part. She can also be seen in a recent episode of Call My Agent! Next, Baye stars in Haute Couture and Lui.

Amy Adams (Brenda Strong)

In the role of Brenda Strong, the daughter of Roger who works at the hospital and eventually earns Frank's affection, Amy Adams found one of her first high-profile parts in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. Following this early performance, Adams would go on to become a six-time Oscar-nominated actress for her leading and supporting work in Junebug, Doubt, The Fighter, The Master, American Hustle, and Vice. She's also well-known for Enchanted, Arrival, Julie & Julia, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Muppets, Nocturnal Animals, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, and Talladega Night: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, as well as Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Charlie Wilson's War and HBO's Sharp Objects.

Most recently, Amy Adams starred in Netflix's Hillbilly Elegy this fall. Next, she'll frontline Netflix's The Woman in the Window. Adams will also be seen in Zack Snyder's Justice League and Dear Evan Hansen. Her other upcoming titles include Disenchanted and Nightbitch, as well as the upcoming mini-series, King of America.

James Brolin (Jack Barnes)

As Jack Barnes, an associate who has an affair with Frank's mother, James Brolin plays a crucial side character in 2002's Catch Me If You Can. A two-time Golden Glob and Emmy-winning actor, Brolin can be seen in The Amityville Horror (1979), Fantastic Voyage, Westworld (1973), The Car, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Traffic, The Master of Disguise, Burlesque, The 33, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, Ted & Venus, Night of the Juggler, Capricon One, The Boston Strangler, and Gable and Lombard. His television credits include Marcus Welby M.D., Hotel, Pensacola: Wings of Gold, Castle, The Reagans, Life in Pieces, Community, Pysch, Law & Order: SVU, Monk, The West Wing, Batman, and Steel Cowboy. Additionally, Brolin also directed and starred in My Brother's War, I'll Be Home For Christmas, and Royal Hearts.

Next, James Brolin will narrate Netflix's upcoming series, Sweet Tooth.

Nancy Lenehan (Carol Strong)

Playing the part of Carol Strong, Brenda's mother, Nancy Lenehan had a notable supporting role in Catch Me If You Can. Outside of this performance, Lenehan's other notable film credits include Smokey and the Bandit II, She's Having a Baby, Stoogemania, Pleasantville, Beauty Shop, A Better Life and Sex Tape. Additionally, on television, the actress can be seen in People of Earth, Grace Under Fire, My Name Is Earl, Worst Week, Veep, Married to the Kellys, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, ER, Dharma & Greg, Gilmore Girls, Everybody Loves Raymond, That '70s Show, Nip/Tuck, The Middle, The Bernie Mac Show, Ally McBeal, The Golden Girls, and ALF, as well as Newhart, Family Ties, Murphy Brown, Mad About You, Boy Meets World, The Practice, Caroline in the City, and Just Shoot Me!

Most recently, Nancy Lenehan appeared in episodes of CBS's Man with a Plan, NBC's Superstore, ABC's Bless This Mess, and FXX's Cake.

Jennifer Garner (Cheryl Ann)

As Cheryl Ann, a model-callgirl who has an interaction with Frank Jr., Jennifer Garner made a cameo in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. Only a year before she appeared in this film, Garner headlined ABC's Alias, for which she won a Golden Globe Award. She's also known for her leading role in 13 Going On 30, as well as her work in Daredevil, Elektra, Juno, Valentine's Day, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Dallas Buyers Club, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, The Invention of Lying, Miracles from Heaven, Love Simon, Catch and Release, Mother's Day, Mr. Magoo, and Peppermint.

Most recently, Jennifer Garner appeared in Quibi's Home Movie: The Princess Bride. Next, Garner stars in Netflix's Yes Day, which she also produced. It premieres on March 12th. Currently, she's filming a role in another Netflix movie, The Adam Project. Garner is also signed on to star in AppleTV+'s mini-series, My Glory Was I Had Such Friends. Additionally, she's expected to frontline the musical comedy, Fantasy Camp.

Ellen Pompeo (Marci)

Playing the part of Marci, Ellen Pompeo found one of her earliest roles in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. Shortly following this fim's release, Ellen Pompeo's profile rose when she took on the titular role in ABC's medical drama, Grey's Anatomy. She has appeared in over 360 episodes of the long-running program. Her other TV credits include Law & Order, Strangers with Candy, Friends, Repeat After Me, Doc McStuffins, and Get Real. She was also a judge during the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars.

Additionally, Ellen Pompeo can be seen in Old School, Daredevil, Art Heist, Life of the Party (2005), Undermind, Coming Soon, In the Weeds, Mambo Cafe, and Moonlight Mile. She also appeared in deleted scenes for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And the actress can be seen in Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" music video. Presently, Pompeo remains at the forefront of Grey's Anatomy. She also recently played Dr. Meredith Grey in an episode of Station 19.

Elizabeth Banks (Lucy)

In the role of Lucy, Elizabeth Banks plays a brief supporting role as a bank teller in 2002's Catch Me If You Can. Most notably, Banks is known for her work in The Hunger Games movies, the Spider-Man trilogy, Wet Hot American Summer, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The LEGO Movie (and sequel), Power Rangers (2017), Magic Mike XXL, Role Models, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Slither, Invincible, Love & Mercy, The Next Three Days, W., and the Pitch Perfect movies. On television, Banks received two Emmy nominations for her recurring role in 30 Rock. She also appeared in Scrubs, Modern Family, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later. Additionally, Banks directed Pitch Perfect 2 and wrote and helmed Charlie's Angels (2019).

Currently, Elizabeth Banks hosts ABC's game show, Press Your Luck. Most recently, Banks was seen in FX's Miss America. Also, she appeared in Modern Family's series finale. Next, Banks is expected to star in Call Jane. Also, she's soon expected to star in and directThe Invisible Woman for Blumhouse.

You can stream Catch Me If You Can on Netflix here. You can also stream it on Showtime here and on SundanceNow here.

With any great television show from the '90s there are dozens of movie and TV stars who appeared in small and largely forgotten roles early in their career. And while nothing will ever compare to all the guest stars and bit players who appeared on Law & Order over the years, the groundbreaking HBO romantic comedy series Sex and the City will give the two separate yet equally important groups a run for their money, especially when you consider the likes of Bradley Cooper, Timothy Olyphant, and Elizabeth Banks all appeared at one point or another.

In fact, there are dozens of future big-name actors who showed up for either one scene or a short-lived relationship with Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York, and even Mr. Big, whose actor, Chris Noth, just so happened to appear on Law & Order as well, bringing this whole thing full circle. Here are just 12 of the many famous faces who appeared on Sex and the City before they were well-known entities and just struggling actors looking for a big break in the city that never sleeps.

Bradley Cooper (Jake)

More than five years before Bradley Cooper became a comedy legend in the making with his portrayal of Zachary "Sack" Lodge in 2005's Wedding Crashers, the young actor got his first credit with an appearance in a 1999 episode of Sex and the City. In the early Season 2 episode, "They Shoot Single People, Don't They?" Cooper played a young and cocky New Yorker who at first hits things off with Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), but things go south when he makes a comment about the New York Star columnist's unflattering picture on the cover of New York Magazine.

John Slattery (Bill Kelley)

No one will hold anything against you if you think that John Slattery's career began with his Emmy-nominated portrayal of New York City advertising whiz Roger Sterling on the AMC drama Mad Men, but the man who would one day play Tony Stark's father in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had a long list of bit roles and one-off performances prior to his time at Sterling Cooper. One of those not-so-early, yet sometimes overlooked roles came in the form of Bill Kelley, the New York City comptroller candidate whose two-episode arc in Sex and the City Season 3, and political aspirations, went south when Carrie wrote about a certain politician who wants nothing more than for his lovers to pee on him in the shower.

Bridget Moynahan (Natasha Naginsky)

Bridget Moynahan, who would go on to star in CBS' Blue Bloods and appear in movies like The Sum of All Fears, Coyote Ugly, and John Wick, where she played the deceased wife of Keanu Reeve's pained assassin, got her first big acting break on Sex and the City where she appeared sporadically throughout Seasons 2 and 3 as Natasha Naginsky, Mr. Big's 20-something girlfriend who eventually becomes the second wife of Carrie's on-again-off-again boyfriend before things take a turn near the end of her 7-episode run.

Ron Livingston (Jack Berger)

Ron Livingston, who had already appeared in Office Space and Band of Brothers at this point, was a major part of Carrie Bradshaw's love life and weekly column in Seasons 5 and 6 of Sex of the City, when he portrayed the sardonic yet talented humorist writer Jack Berger. Jack had a few great moments throughout his brief run on the HBO romantic comedy, but none of that means anything once you remember how things ended for his relationship with Carrie: a Post-it note reading, "I'm sorry, I can't, don't hate me."

Timothy Olyphant (Sam)

Timothy Olyphant, who had already appeared in movies like The First Wives Club and Scream 2 but hadn't yet shown up in Gone in 60 Seconds or Rock Star, appeared in an early episode of Sex and the City Season 1 as Sam, one of the many 20-somethings that the show's central cast would date or at least hook up with throughout its duration. In the perfectly titled episode, "Valley of the Twentysomething Guys," Carrie quickly learns just because someone is young and attractive, it doesn't mean they are a suitable partner, especially when they have an awful apartment with no toilet paper.

Will Arnett (Jack)

For most of the 21st Century, Will Arnett has been considered one of the funniest television stars of his time thanks to shows like Arrested Development, BoJack Horseman, and countless others, but all future stars of the small screen have to start somewhere, and what better place than Sex and the City. Appearing in the second half of Season 2, Arnett played Jack, one of Miranda's (Cynthia Nixon) many suitors, but his weird sexual desires were a little too much for the feisty attorney.

Kat Dennings (Jenny Brier)

Kat Dennings, who would go on to have a successful comedy series of her own with the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls later on in her career, started things off with her portrayal of Jenny Brier, Samantha Jones' (Kim Cattrall) foul-mouthed 13-year-old client who jumps between cussing, talking about hooking up with different men, and planning her over-the-top bat mitzvah near the end of Sex and the City Season 3.

Elizabeth Banks (Catherine)

Today, Elizabeth Banks is known as one of the most successful triple threats in show business with a number of successful movies that she directed, produced, and starred in over the years, but before all of that she was known as Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell. There are only a few credits with Banks' given name, and one happens to be Sex and the City, specifically the Season 3 episode where she portrayed Catherine, a partygoer at a fundraiser for Bill Kelley (John Slattery's pee-brained character).

Clark Gregg (Harris Bragen)

Clark Gregg, who happens to be the fourth person on this list to have appeared in both Sex and the City and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, showed up in a Season 3 episode where Miranda is looking for a date to Charlotte's wedding and turns to a speed dating service to get the job done. After lying about her career, she meets Harris Bragen (Gregg), and things take off for a bit, but when Miranda can no longer act like a flight attendant, the pair comes back to earth.

Justin Theroux (Jared, Vaughn Wysel)

This is something you don't see everyday, but Justin Theroux played not one, but two different characters on Sex and the City. During his Season 1 appearance, Theroux, who had only taken on small roles in Ally McBeal and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion at this point, played Jared, an author with an eye for Carrie. Theroux would return in Season 2, this time playing Vaughn Wysel, a completely different writer who ends up with Carrie, but has some trouble when he's needed the most.

Tony Hale (Tiger)

Tony Hale, the future star of shows like Arrested Development, Veep, and dozens of theatrical releases, had one of his first television appearances on Sex and the City, where he showed up briefly in Season 4 as the assistant to nude photographer snapping pics of Samantha Jones. The episode, and all its awkwardness, is still something Hale talks about to this day.

Andy Cohen (Shoe Salesman)

Andy Cohen, the future host of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, has one acting credit to his name, which just so happens to be Sex and the City. Appearing briefly in Season 6, Cohen played a shoe salesman helping Carrie find the perfect shoe. This wasn't the first time (though it is his only credited role) Cohen appeared on the show, as he showed up as a shirtless guy at a gay bar in Season 4.

These are just a few of the future stars who ended up on Sex and the City during the show's original run. Did you know about all these soon-to-be famous faces on one of the most popular shows of the past 25 years? Make sure to sound off in the comments below.

‘Beep, beep’ Seat belts everyone! It’s been over two decades since the original Magic School Bus animated series concluded its run, and while there’s a newer cartoon that introduced Ms. Frizzle’s crazy adventures with her students to today’s youths, word’s come in that a live-action Magic School Bus movie is in the works, and Elizabeth Banks has been cast to play the eccentric teacher.

In addition to her Ms. Frizzle duties, Elizabeth Banks will also be putting on her producer’s hat for the live-action Magic School Bus movie, as her production company, Brownstone Productions, is teaming with Scholastic Entertainment, Marc Platt Productions (which has tackled movies like La La Land and Mary Poppins Returns) and Universal Pictures to bring the project to life. Here’s what Iole Lucchese from Scholastic Entertainment had to say about the Magic School Bus movie moving forward (via THR):

Based on the same-named series of books by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen, the original Magic School Bus series followed Valerie Frizzle, voiced by Lily Tomlin, taking her students aboard a transforming, yellow school bus fantastical field trips, from shrinking down to venture inside of a human body, to traveling to historical time periods. Tomlin scored the 1996 Emmy for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for the Ms. Frizzle role, and the series itself, which ran from 1994-1997, scored numerous Emmy nominations, among other accolades.

Cut to 2017, Netflix premiered The Magic School Bus Rides Again, which was a sequel to the original animated series rather than a reboot. In this incarnation, it’s the Kate McKinnon-voiced Fiona Frizzle, Valerie’s younger sister, who used that wonderful school bus to take students on educational field trips, although Lilly Tomlin did reprise Valerie for a handful of episodes. The Magic School Bus Rides Again didn’t last quite as long as its predecessor, concluding in April 2018 with its second season.

So with the Magic School Bus franchise having already nicely covered books and animated shows, making the jump to the big screen for a live-action tale is a fitting next step. I imagine this movie will be completely separated from the animated TV shows, but who knows, maybe there’ll be a way to somehow tie all three of these projects together, making for a Magic School Bus shared universe/multiverse of sorts.

This marks Scholastic Entertainment’s latest foray into theatrical movies, with their other recent projects including Goosebumps, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween, the upcoming Clifford the Big Red Dog and the upcoming Animorphs. As for Elizabeth Banks, her recent work includes Brightburn, Charlie’s Angels and Mrs. America.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on the live-action Magic School Bus movie, and in the meantime, you can look through our 2020 release schedule to learn what movies are supposed to arrive in theaters later this year.

With the recent protests highlighting various instances of racial inequality following the death of George Floyd and other victims of police brutality, it could be nerve-wracking for some celebrities to take a stand and voice their opinion. Star Wars star John Boyega has demonstrated that, even while he fearing professional blowback, speaking up is incredibly important during this current crisis. And Hollywood directors like Jordan Peele have pledged to support John Boyega’s career, taking to social media to boost his message.

Jordan Peele himself shared photos of Boyega’s participation in a London protest on behalf of Black Lives Matter, with a simple but strong caption in his Twitter post. Boyega spoke to fear of his acting career suffering as as result of his activism, to which Peele responded:

It didn’t take long for plenty of other Hollywood talents to jump to the aid of John Boyega, who made his first big splash in the Edgar Wright produced film Attack The Block. And a lot of that continued support stemmed from a further tweet put into the world by Matthew A. Cherry, the Academy Award winner who was part of the team behind this year’s winning animated short, Hair Love. Cherry stoked the fires with this contribution to the conversation:

From there, a lot of big names stood tall and answered Cherry’s call for Non-Black creators to help promote further diversity in show business. And the people that got on board are exactly the sorts of talents you’d imagine would be on board with such a noble cause. Our first case in point is Phil Lord, whose writing/directing/producing efforts have made projects such as Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse into blockbusters that promote such ideals as “anyone can wear the mask”:

Then there’s Charlie’s Angels director Elizabeth Banks, who not only supports John Boyega’s continued career, but has also pushed equality between the sexes with her directing career.

Much like Ms. Banks, Paul Feig’s work towards more diverse representation on screen has been seen in his more small scale films like A Simple Favor, but also in big budget projects like 2016’s Ghostbusters: Answer The Call. He too is ready to keep the world swimming in Boyega content:

Not content to merely voice her approval of potentially working with John Boyega, Booksmart’s Olivia Wilde had a further message of encouragement for Boyega’s more socially conscious efforts:

But of course, it’s not just John Boyega’s amazing efforts in films like the sequel trilogy of Star Wars, and other movies like Detroit and Pacific Rim: Uprising that have kept him in the public consciousness. When it comes to Hamilton and In The Heights creator Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pledge to work with Boyega, that desires reaches back to his performance as Attack The Block’s Moses:

Perhaps the most powerful message of support for John Boyega’s actions came from Lucasfilm itself. While Boyega may have been worried about his former employers having his back should any future projects come up, the following response to his actions should clear any doubt he or his fans may have on the matter:

When an actor can speak up to a matter like racial inequality, or any sort of inequality for that matter, they should still be able to work without repercussion. John Boyega’s efforts should be applauded, especially when attracting the well-wishes of such a likeminded crew of talent.

Should you want to watch Attack The Block, it’s available for free on PlutoTV.