The "Power Rangers" reboot is official and Elizabeth Banks is named as the evil mistress Rita Repulsa. The newly casted villain is showing a radically different vibe compared to the old version in the hit 90's television series. "It's definitely a modern and edgy re-imagining of the original Rita Repulsa," Banks tells People.
But how did Elizabeth Banks go from zero to a non-hero? The actress is also known for her role as a snazzy commentator in the smash hits "Pitch Perfect" and "Pitch Perfect 2," but what you might not know is that she also played the director. According to Vanity Fair, Banks hit the so-called Hollywood Trifecta.
The much sought after director and witty actress is also a producer. She is described to be a triple threat in an industry known for its glass ceiling.
Her first iconic role that everyone remembers was from "The 40 Year Old Virgin." She displayed a comical and bubbly performance that propelled her sky-ward after. Her specialty in her armory comes from her comedienne skills. She has flawless timing and laser focus. Vanity Fair writes that she's a throw-back to the screwball heroines of the 1930s. She did television spots for Scrubs and Modern Family, and also appeared in the Spider-Man franchise. And if you can see through the make-up, she was Effie Trinket from the "Hunger Games."
She is the go-to actress for directors who are looking for a woman that can make a small role into something big and delicious. Banks was ultimately bankable. With her husband at her side, making decisions together while producing movies together was fun for her.
What's her advice for those trying to make it in the industry?
"There's only three things that can happen to you when you come to Hollywood," Banks explains. "You can break big right away. You can work, work, work, and just be consistent. Or you can flame out. So, one didn't happen for me; two happened. And probably five years ago, I felt like, I'm O.K., I'm gonna work. Which gives you a lot of courage in this business. And you'd better understand that it is a business. And at a certain point you look around and you go, 'This is the only job I have, these are the only people I know, and the main thing I do is tell stories for a living. So how do I capitalize on my skill set and who I know?' "
What's next for her? Banks is hot and ready to direct both Pitch Perfect 3 and an adaptation of Red Queen, Victoria Aveyard's young-adult fantasy novel, for Universal, plus a Charlie's Angels reboot for Sony.
