Elizabeth Banks

[0] Welcome, welcome, welcome.

[1] To armchair expert, I'm joined by the Cookie Monster.

[2] That's me, Monica Padman.

[3] Cookie, cookie.

[4] No. That's not what my cookie monster says.

[5] Cookie Monster says, Oh, I know, but I'm a different, I want to establish myself as a new cookie monster.

[6] Okay.

[7] All right, that's fair.

[8] Because I'm the Cookie Monicaster.

[9] Oh, right, right, right, right.

[10] And I'm Dan Shepard.

[11] And today, Elizabeth Banks is on the program.

[12] I love Elizabeth.

[13] of thanks i've been friends with her for over a decade i've just really blown away by her talent i think she's such a great dramatic actor she's super funny i fell in love with her in the 40 year old virgin she's just such a powerful woman she is she's an actress a director a writer a producer she of course was in the hunger games pitch perfect wet hot american summer 30 rock the 40 year old virgin but most importantly on november 15th at a theater near you charlie's angels she wrote directed, produced, and is in.

[14] I'm excited to see it.

[15] Beasley move.

[16] Yes, it is.

[17] Give it up for Liz Banks.

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[21] He's an armchair expert.

[22] He's an option expert.

[23] Thanks.

[24] What is the goddamn secret?

[25] Hi, baby.

[26] I mean, you really look like a trillion dollars.

[27] Genetics, I guess.

[28] Is it genetics?

[29] Yeah.

[30] Is your mom pretty tight and hot?

[31] No. Okay.

[32] Is your dad?

[33] I have some aunts that look like me and some cousins.

[34] Uh -huh.

[35] I'm trying to age gracefully.

[36] That's something I will happily say to everyone.

[37] Like, I have not put anything in my face.

[38] I've never had a needle in my face.

[39] Really?

[40] Oh, wow.

[41] You should try it.

[42] Like they sell, everyone's trying to get me to, they're selling me on that idea.

[43] I'm just, I don't know, I'm, I'm really uninterested in the psychology of starting to alter.

[44] I would do it if I felt like I could happily look in the mirror and not have like emotional or psychological baggage doing it.

[45] Sure.

[46] But I just, I don't want to do it and I'm trying to resist.

[47] And there's a reason for that and I have to honor it.

[48] Now look, if I was not on television and I just have money, I'm nose job, face lit.

[49] Like, if it wasn't obvious, I'd go all the way.

[50] I'd come in with a picture of Brad Pitt and I'd go, just get as close to this as you can.

[51] I know you're, I know I have realistic expectations, but let's aim in this direction.

[52] I remember, so the first film I ever really made, like my sag card film was What Had American Summer.

[53] Yes.

[54] And I wear like a little bikini top and like it's all obvious what I'm.

[55] offering these little babies right here and so I went to meet an agent in L .A. and he was like maybe you should get a boob job and I was like but I was like did you meet him in a strip mall?

[56] No I met him at his office but I also was like yeah but it's out like the cat's out of the bag right like it's all going to be totally obvious now if I do that I'm not interested in that here's the other thing I feel the way about those kinds of doctors as I feel about a lot of things.

[57] Like, you are putting your livelihood in your life into their hands.

[58] Yeah, what if they fought with their wife that morning or their husband?

[59] Like, who knows what could go wrong?

[60] You know what I'm saying?

[61] Like, I just, why am I doing that?

[62] I don't know.

[63] And then I've also had friends and my sister who, like, have faced cancer and have had surgeries and stuff.

[64] And you're like, why would I voluntarily put myself under a knife and, like, anesthesia?

[65] It's all so dangerous, is my point.

[66] I can tell you from an addict's perspective to get those perks.

[67] You've got to get those oxy cottons one way or another.

[68] You see putting your life in someone else's hands.

[69] I see potentially a justified five -day relapse with no recourse.

[70] Oh, man. Nah.

[71] I'm good.

[72] I will need it.

[73] I mean, but that's only if we decide that our society tells women that they need to stay looking young.

[74] I just.

[75] I'm just over it.

[76] I know.

[77] Bella and I were laying in bed last week.

[78] She's a beauty, too, by the way.

[79] She's a gorgeous person, inside and out.

[80] But skin of, you know, silky skin.

[81] She's so young and beautiful.

[82] She's getting stuff sent in from South Korea.

[83] She's got, like, snail goo on her and stuff.

[84] She is sparing no expense, let's just say.

[85] I mean, I'll do a mask.

[86] I'm not saying that.

[87] What if you're like, I don't even wash my face.

[88] I'm going to look how Mother Nature intended.

[89] I think we wanted to look up.

[90] the age of some actor right and then when i looked that up you know it gives you other suggestions like oh maybe you want to know how old this actor is right and it became this weird rabbit hole and before i knew it i had a grid of actors in there like from 65 to probably 80 and i said to christian i'm like look at this page the sexism or the misogyny it's so fucking deep it's so deep in me that when i look at that the older men still look attractive to me and virile and all those things and I'm very aware that the women have aged it's crazy that culture can affect what you see you know what I'm saying and even I have an awareness of it and it doesn't help we were talking like in the show we're watching some of the folks are older and I'm thinking about the women being older I'm thinking about it how it you know it will impact Kristen she's thinking about that the whole thing's happening and yet you're honestly asking me like am I attracted to that woman I'm not right it's so deep yeah it might be partially biological yes sure because you're not fertile correct like I can't make you a baby as easily as you know you once good I once good yeah I turned 40 on the set of the hunger games with all those young adorable people February 10th so anyway I turned 40 it was a hot mess of a time anyway because philip Seymour hoffman had just passed away but anyway So we were looking for something to celebrate, and I turned 40, but no one knew.

[91] It did just brought out a cake and started singing happy birthday.

[92] And Liam Hemsworth, so hot.

[93] Sure.

[94] We love how he looked, you know?

[95] A beauty.

[96] Yeah.

[97] He's like, how old are you, Banks?

[98] Oh, sure.

[99] And I was like, oh, and being faced with having to tell Liam Hemsworth.

[100] Sure, sure.

[101] Because what is he, 27 at the time or something?

[102] He's 21.

[103] He's a child.

[104] He's a baby boy.

[105] He's a baby boy.

[106] I really, I was like, I'm, uh, yeah, I'm, uh, I'm 40.

[107] Yeah.

[108] I could feel him like, like, I could feel him like shrivel up and run.

[109] That's not true.

[110] That's in your head.

[111] No, it wasn't.

[112] I'm telling you.

[113] He had no idea how old I was.

[114] He definitely thought, I mean, knew I was older than him, obviously.

[115] But like, how cute auntie.

[116] I was suddenly like, I could have been his mother, I think.

[117] Like, I think I'm old enough that I was.

[118] I could be his mom.

[119] Biologically.

[120] Of course.

[121] But biologically is what I'm talking about.

[122] That's the point I'm making.

[123] Yeah, you're making a great point.

[124] Is that biologically, all of a sudden, Liam has been like, oh, p, goodbye.

[125] Well, hold on, though.

[126] I'm just saying, I really felt unattractive all of a sudden.

[127] Like, it was overnight.

[128] I mean, I'm not saying I can't fuck whoever I want.

[129] No, I can't catch a D. Anyone.

[130] You need only step out on your porch.

[131] I'm sure you can wrangle a D or two.

[132] I mean, I value your experience.

[133] Yeah.

[134] I'm not calling you a liar.

[135] But is it possible that Liam had no real shift?

[136] I mean, if I got Liam on the horn.

[137] No, I think if you asked him, he did not know I was at old.

[138] Okay, okay.

[139] I felt the shift.

[140] Listen, maybe he and I were just different 21 -year -olds.

[141] I think I would have been excited by that notion.

[142] Like, oh, my goodness, you look like that and you've got some real experience under your belt, presumably.

[143] Yeah.

[144] I think there are guys that do very.

[145] But perverted guys.

[146] You could be my mom, cool.

[147] You could find my mom.

[148] I like that.

[149] I can have sex with my mom.

[150] Oh, wow.

[151] Now, we've known each other for maybe 13 or 14 years or something.

[152] Yeah, I would say that.

[153] I remember exactly when we met.

[154] I can't imagine you do, but I'm going to say, I was made aware of you as an actor by 40 -year -old virgin.

[155] Thank you.

[156] I just thought you were unbelievably spectacular.

[157] I was like, who is this person?

[158] You know, the way you do when you see people, it's one of the funest parts of going of the movies.

[159] I went to Alaska King of Scotland, and I'm like, who is this lead of this movie?

[160] I must see everything.

[161] Yeah.

[162] What's his name?

[163] James McAvoy?

[164] James McAvoy.

[165] I must see everything.

[166] What's his name?

[167] Or the gentleman from train spotting?

[168] Ewan McGregor?

[169] You and you're like, oh my goodness, this is really something.

[170] Yeah.

[171] I really felt that way about you in Forty Old Burger.

[172] So, and our mutual friend, Sean, I had been a producer on the movie.

[173] So I was at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on Sunset Boulevard.

[174] Oh, wow.

[175] You literally just popped me into this memory.

[176] I did.

[177] I brought you in.

[178] Yeah.

[179] Okay, great.

[180] So I saw you in line, and I am bona fide starstruck, and I am like, oh, my God, there's that gal from 40 -year -old virgin.

[181] Oh, my God.

[182] Shauna knows her, and I immediately, oh, my God, who's that the girl I love from, oh, Banks.

[183] And now I don't really know what to do.

[184] And then there's just a beat, and then I see, she's married, so just relax.

[185] because I think I was like coming out of my skin like oh my God what move do I make now do I buy her a coffee but then I did introduce myself to you and then we had a little chit chat there at the coffee bean and tea leave yes I totally actually remember that now yeah very exciting and then if memory serves me then you and I were both working in New York at the same time I went and met you in like the whatever the lower part of Manhattan in the Bowery in the Bowery yeah and it was is that the name of that hotel you were at yeah yeah so very cool stuff new to me yeah and then i hung out with you and your girlfriends one night and it was a fucking blast yeah my sister was there yeah people were running across the street that was a dark night was it i'm gonna tell you how i woke up the next morning okay okay tell me this is this was when before dax was sober no no i was sober you were in fact because i had this very clear moment when everyone was running across the street because when everyone's running across street, I was like, I would have been first in the street, but I'm the only sober person here.

[186] You were, like, babysitting us.

[187] I actually was feeling sad because I was like, oh, I know who Banks is.

[188] And if I were fucked up right now, this night, not sexually, but this night would have ended up like in another borough or so.

[189] Yeah.

[190] Oh, yeah, yeah.

[191] Like, it would have been gas.

[192] Very good time.

[193] Yes, a very, very good time.

[194] And had I been drunk, too, I think things would have really ratcheted out of control and a hurry.

[195] I'm actually, this makes this story make more sense to me than ever before.

[196] Okay.

[197] So the next morning I woke up in a bed.

[198] I was fully naked in the covers.

[199] My sister was over the covers next to me in the middle of the bed, fully dressed in her work clothes, holding her purse.

[200] And then my friend was on the other side of the bed, sleeping in the bed with me and my sister, and I think she was in pajamas.

[201] So it was like naked, like all states of everything.

[202] And all in one small bed, like not a big bag.

[203] Yeah.

[204] I vaguely remember trying to get something cooking with your friend.

[205] With, yeah, I know which friend.

[206] Okay, I do, I do remember trying to like.

[207] Yeah, yeah.

[208] Because I was single for the first time in like nine years.

[209] She was into it, yeah.

[210] The one with pajamas on?

[211] No. Oh, yeah, pajamas.

[212] The prepared one.

[213] Yeah.

[214] Did you just run into them there, or you planned to meet up?

[215] I somehow planned to meet.

[216] I didn't, no, I wasn't just like wandering through the borrower.

[217] No, no, that's true.

[218] Yeah, we made a plan.

[219] We made a plan, which begs the question.

[220] and when did we see each other?

[221] I don't know.

[222] But I was doing baby mama and you're friends with all those people.

[223] Somehow there was some cross -pollination and we made this plan.

[224] Again, I was single, full disclosure.

[225] That's such a fun night.

[226] I was having so much fun and I was like, well, she is married.

[227] She is married to Max.

[228] He's a nice gentleman.

[229] I'm going to have to switch my aim here.

[230] Look at the friend.

[231] I got single friends that were out that were totally a veil.

[232] Yes, but no magic happened.

[233] Tech avail, that's.

[234] Between any of it.

[235] Technically available, but not truly available.

[236] Okay, so it's fun to, like, read about somebody who you've known for over a decade.

[237] Yeah.

[238] I just know you socially, and you're a good time, Charlie.

[239] And then I read about you and I go, oh, Banks is real smart.

[240] She was, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Penn. That's really impressive.

[241] And then I go, oh, and then she's from Massachusetts.

[242] Where is Pittsfield in comparison to Boston?

[243] It is all the other end of the state, basically on the border of New York.

[244] Like, my father worked outside of Albany in a place called Schenet.

[245] New York at a GE factory?

[246] Yes, at a GE factory.

[247] And mom worked at a bank.

[248] Yep.

[249] First Agricultural Bank.

[250] Is this in the Berkshires area?

[251] Yeah, it's the heart of the Berkshires.

[252] Oh, so it's fucking beautiful then.

[253] Yeah, it's really beautiful.

[254] It's an amazing place to have grown up, actually.

[255] How many people are in your town?

[256] Is it big or small?

[257] No, I think it's like 30 ,000 maybe, something like that.

[258] That's good size.

[259] Yeah, it's a decent size.

[260] It is technically a city where I'm from.

[261] But it's surrounded by the countryside.

[262] You know, I grew up going to farms and cows and...

[263] Did you have a cider mill?

[264] This time of year were you, like, gear enough to hit the cider mill?

[265] Oh, yeah.

[266] You would go and you pick apples and you would watch them make, and they had the best thing in the whole world, which is apple cider donuts.

[267] Yes.

[268] Oh, yeah.

[269] So in my town, they were, like, they were cinnamon is what they were.

[270] Yes, cinnamon, of course.

[271] And you dip them in that yummy cider.

[272] Sure.

[273] You know, now when you think about it, probably like 70, 80 grams of sugar just in like that little cup and the donut.

[274] You don't give a fine fuck.

[275] Who cares?

[276] Worse it.

[277] They come out warm.

[278] They put them in a like white bag.

[279] Oh, they shake it.

[280] Yeah, with the sugar in it.

[281] And then also I wonder, Halloween for me, very special.

[282] What do you get going on?

[283] I just love when you wonder.

[284] Okay.

[285] Well, I do wonder, because I was just trying to tell Monica this, one of the unique pleasures of where I grew up is that during Halloween, you'd find yourself sometimes at a Halloween party that had an actual hay rod.

[286] in, like, a barn involved in fucking bobbing for apple.

[287] Did you have that experience?

[288] Yes, there was a girl in my high school, Liz Taylor.

[289] She had an old carriage house.

[290] Okay.

[291] And she would have, like, parties, like, on haystacks.

[292] And, like, you know, we'd have, like, parties in that.

[293] And there was, like, you know, a loft up above, and he'd climb the ladder.

[294] And it was just, like, it was magic.

[295] Yeah, yeah.

[296] It was freezing cold, though.

[297] Oh, sure, sure.

[298] Like, we planned our costumes around wearing a full snow suit.

[299] Uh -huh.

[300] It inhibited any kind of hanky -panky.

[301] And did it have the very typical strata like in high school where they're like, were jocks king and then?

[302] You know, it's so interesting because I just, we just moved and I found my high school yearbook and I went through it the other day.

[303] I went to a pretty big high school.

[304] I think it was like, I don't know, 300 kids in my graduating class.

[305] And as I was looking through, flipping through the book, I was like, I hung out with like 12 % of these people.

[306] Oh, uh -huh.

[307] You know what I mean?

[308] Like, yes, there was a big football team.

[309] and cheerleaders, and that was a whole scene.

[310] You know, my high school boyfriend was captain of the hockey team.

[311] I was very into hockey.

[312] But I was like, you know, a nerdy kid.

[313] I did all the like AP classes.

[314] And what I realized is like, you really are just in class.

[315] And I was very competitive with my classmates at that level, right?

[316] Right.

[317] Because I was very like college prep and college bound.

[318] And it was all about that.

[319] How do you explain that, just if you don't mind my asking?

[320] I think that's genetic too.

[321] I don't know.

[322] I just think that is internal drive.

[323] Yeah, I'm first born.

[324] For sure it is.

[325] I think so.

[326] And you have three younger siblings?

[327] Yes, I have two sisters and a brother.

[328] What was the age gap?

[329] Like how much older were you?

[330] My sister and I are almost Irish twins were 13 months apart.

[331] Oh, wow, yeah.

[332] And then I have a sister who's five years younger than me and a brother who's 11 and a half years younger than me. Okay.

[333] I think you're interesting in that your background's not, I would guess, like a super student who's in AP classes because you're such a good time.

[334] You know what I'm saying?

[335] I pictured you more partying.

[336] Yeah.

[337] Did you mix that in it?

[338] I had that side of me as well.

[339] I mean, I was like, goody tushas.

[340] I never really did drugs.

[341] Alcohol was always my vice.

[342] But I was very clean cut about that stuff.

[343] Okay.

[344] I was responsible.

[345] Let's put it that way.

[346] Okay.

[347] And last question about what I feel like is similar settings for childhood.

[348] Yeah.

[349] This is rare, I think, too, to the rural.

[350] You just go into a field and you just start drinking.

[351] Yeah, that's exactly all that.

[352] we ever did.

[353] Yes.

[354] There were like four fields around my town.

[355] And you just kind of, on a Friday night, you start driving to those fields.

[356] Oh, I guess they're not here.

[357] They must be at middle road.

[358] And then you'd go out there.

[359] That's exactly right.

[360] That's exactly right.

[361] No, we would kind of get a plan and be like, there's this place, George's Farm and you could go down like a path.

[362] And then there was like different parks, Springside Park and different parks.

[363] And yeah, you would go.

[364] You'd drag a keg into the woods.

[365] Sure you would.

[366] Like we don't roll it or whatever.

[367] And build a fire.

[368] Yeah.

[369] Any swimming involved?

[370] Oh, yes.

[371] In the summertime, many lakes.

[372] Me too.

[373] We had a friend with a pontoon boat.

[374] That was a real good time whenever we could get that out on the lake.

[375] Absolutely.

[376] It's just a floating bar, really.

[377] Yeah, exactly.

[378] It's so good.

[379] And then there is a point on that pontoon boat party because my father had a pontoon boat and we'd go out there pretty late at night.

[380] And there was always a little, the rational part of my brain was like, should everyone be swimming right now?

[381] Are we at the point of the night where someone should say, hey, let's stop swimming.

[382] Yes, I agree.

[383] That was probably me. I'd be that person.

[384] I'd be that person that would be like, should we just do a head count to make sure everyone's like back on the got off?

[385] You know what I mean?

[386] Let's just make sure everyone that went in the water is actually still alive.

[387] And do you, now we both have two children and we live in L .A., do you like a little bit pine for them having that experience?

[388] Oh, yeah, of course.

[389] We went away this summer.

[390] We went to Massachusetts for like two and a half weeks because I just felt, like I needed them to have.

[391] And I needed it, too, a little of that nostalgia and that freedom.

[392] And they went to camp on the lake and, you know, and went to soft serve ice cream and just a mini golf and, you know, all of it, right?

[393] Like, I love that.

[394] The lake thing in particular holds a certain power over me where, like, I have to every year get onto a lake for a week or two.

[395] Or I'm just, I'm sad.

[396] I really long to live on like a, you know, an inland lake in Michigan.

[397] That lifestyle for me, because I had like imposter syndrome when I went to college, I went to such a fancy college, and I'm not from a fancy home or hometown or anything.

[398] But to grow up in a place where I could learn to ski and canoe and fish, I mean, like, you name it.

[399] Like, we did it, you know?

[400] And I thought having an environment where you get to do all of those things really helped me kind of feel like I could fit in a lot of places.

[401] Yeah, having some kind of, like, physical confidence that you can do things, I think, is really beneficial later on.

[402] You just feel like you have a command or, okay, yeah, I can be in the setting and manage.

[403] And also just little things like I learned to drive on a stick shift, you know, like kids in New York City didn't know how to drive a car.

[404] You know what I mean?

[405] You're right.

[406] Just things like that that just I do think really have helped me feel confident in life.

[407] Yeah.

[408] So you got into Penn. In my yearbook was my acceptance letter.

[409] I like opened my yearbook and I was like, baby.

[410] Look at this.

[411] Yeah.

[412] And there it was.

[413] And do you remember getting it in the mail?

[414] Yeah, I definitely do.

[415] Because my great grandmother had passed away.

[416] And so we were all getting ready to go down for, like, the services.

[417] And I got this letter in the mail.

[418] And, of course, my mother immediately, because she grew up Catholic, was like, that's the angel, you know, giving you your, you know.

[419] Sure.

[420] Was that your number one?

[421] It probably was postmarked before she passed away.

[422] But I'll take it.

[423] Sure.

[424] It was a lovely idea.

[425] Was it your dream school?

[426] It was my number one.

[427] I applied early.

[428] I got in in December, so I got to just like chill the rest of high school.

[429] Her safety school was University of Georgia.

[430] No. He's laughing because I went there.

[431] Or he made that joke because I went there.

[432] Now, you met Max on your first day of college?

[433] I did.

[434] Monica, soak that in for one second.

[435] 27 years you've been with somebody.

[436] That's awesome.

[437] September 1992.

[438] That is boring.

[439] I'd argue that's almost impossible.

[440] That's virtually high school sweethearts.

[441] Lots of people did it for many, many years.

[442] Well, in the olden days, when you never met someone of the opposite sex at your job.

[443] People will say like, oh, my grandma, you know, your grandparents were married forever.

[444] I'm like, yeah, my grandpa worked at Wonderbread Bakery and he fucking worked with a bunch of fat dudes all day.

[445] And then he worked 12 hours.

[446] So then he went straight home and ate and went to sleep.

[447] Who was he going to meet?

[448] Who was going to tempt him?

[449] Do you think that's what keeps marriages together apart temptation i think that's a big component of it for sure i mean i think if as marriages and relationships go you got to be really on top of like checking in remembering to state your needs all these things that are like who my grandparents and fucking have that vocabulary no and so i can't imagine it was easier for them than it is for me and we have tools you know i think if you meet someone at your workplace that seems to be recognizing you in a way that you really wish your partner did.

[450] How is that not going to feel special?

[451] How are you not going to respond to that in some way?

[452] Now, whether you cross the line or not is, you know, whatever, that's someone's thing.

[453] It's so interesting.

[454] I'm old -fashioned.

[455] I have no plans to get divorced.

[456] Like, when I got married, I was like, so this is for life.

[457] So you got to figure it out.

[458] Yeah.

[459] Like, you got to make it work, which it's, I mean, I'm also very lucky.

[460] I chose very well.

[461] Yes.

[462] I have a great guy, and we have a great relationship when we work together and we, you know, We spend a lot of time together, but happily.

[463] Like, I'm very happy about it.

[464] I've had the pleasure being around you guys many times, and it's a really beautiful relationship.

[465] But I guess all I'm saying is, I would say it's compounded by the fact that you're also making that decision.

[466] You're picking, I like, a sprite the most, and you've not had Dr. Pepper.

[467] That's true.

[468] Yeah.

[469] So I just think that adds to the impressiveness of this.

[470] I'm not for wanting, though.

[471] You know what I mean?

[472] That's what I mean.

[473] I'm not thinking about, like, what else is I?

[474] It's not something.

[475] that occurs to me. So, granted, I accept that.

[476] You have to have been working with someone where you go, oh, well, we really connect in some unique way.

[477] Sure.

[478] This is really special.

[479] Now, that doesn't mean you're going to pursue it, but...

[480] I do think there's, there's, like, pheromones and physical...

[481] I've seen it with my husband, too.

[482] Like, I've been out with him and other women and gone like, oh, okay, that she likes him, and he knows it.

[483] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[484] There's rhythm being exchanged.

[485] Yeah, and like, good for them.

[486] Sure.

[487] You know what I'm?

[488] Because I have a trust with my husband.

[489] Yeah.

[490] That's what it is.

[491] I trust myself and I trust my husband.

[492] And so when I'm having like vibes with somebody, I'm like, cool, that's fun.

[493] That's a nice feeling as a human being.

[494] Right.

[495] Reminds you you're not dead for a couple seconds.

[496] Exactly.

[497] And then Liam Hansworth shuts them down.

[498] You haven't even slams that bolt door.

[499] Okay.

[500] At Penn, this is exciting to me. Okay.

[501] For again, egocentric reasons, but you went to Delta, Delta, Delta.

[502] I was a tri -delt, yes.

[503] A tri -delt.

[504] And so when we named Delta Delta, our daughter, my mother emailed me, do you know Delta Delta Delta?

[505] It was one of the first stories that was committed to writing.

[506] Do you know this?

[507] Do you know any this history about?

[508] No. Okay.

[509] Well, it was like a writing -centric.

[510] Huh?

[511] Yeah, sorority initially.

[512] Okay.

[513] That felt serendipitous because I worship writers.

[514] Yeah.

[515] Yeah, I love that you're obsessed with Tri -Delta.

[516] I know.

[517] Of course I am for many reasons.

[518] A, it was the one that was in, Saturday and Live.

[519] Secondly, I have these terrible labels in my head that I grew up with and I filed people my whole life into them.

[520] So one of them was like, I hate guys in fraternities.

[521] Sure.

[522] And then my best friend in L .A. turns out to be my friend Nate Tuck.

[523] He was in a fraternity.

[524] I kind of hear how the whole thing worked with him.

[525] And I'm like, oh, I just missed a party is what I missed.

[526] It was an excuse to be super social.

[527] And he had a blast.

[528] You live in a house with people.

[529] So you don't have to like live in university housing, basically.

[530] But I am embarrassingly so I used to in my youth to find myself by things I didn't like as opposed to things I like.

[531] So it's like you'd meet me and I hate that music and I hate this and blah, blah, blah.

[532] It's repugnant now I recognize because there's nothing to build on there.

[533] But also it's usually because to state what you like demands judgment.

[534] Yeah.

[535] Or there's some vulnerability there.

[536] Yeah, you have to basically be like, I'm putting myself out by saying that I like this.

[537] And everyone can be like, that's, oh, okay.

[538] not me, you know, or like, yes, that's great.

[539] Let's talk about that.

[540] Yeah.

[541] But the no one else liking it is the thing, you have to be really confident, I think, to walk into a situation and be like, this is what I like.

[542] Yeah.

[543] Even with my very best friend of my whole life, Aaron Weekly and I, on a Christmas morning one day, we were driving, we were 17 or something, and we were just driving.

[544] And I go, I got to say, man, I like this song.

[545] And I, I really like that bodyguard song.

[546] and he goes oh my god i'm so glad you said something my sister got that tape for christmas last night and i've listened to it like 20 times this morning and i was like oh my god i could have not told anybody in my life but you and we're both so relieved that we loved it i love that my brother -in -law had the soundtrack to titanic oh yes and he would we we shared kind of shared a car with him for a little bit and every time we got in the car it'd be like blasting we're like wow he just listens to this on repeat what was the big hit song off that one My heart will go on.

[547] Celine Dionne.

[548] Okay.

[549] You don't know it?

[550] No, no, no. And I know you won't sing it and you probably won't either.

[551] I won't sing it.

[552] If you hum it to me, I'll sing it.

[553] I sing all of Whitney's songs.

[554] I love them all.

[555] They grew up as a huge Whitney fan.

[556] Absolutely.

[557] And I love it so much.

[558] I was even into, I want to dance with somebody.

[559] Oh, I want to dance with somebody.

[560] Classic, of course.

[561] Oh, boy.

[562] One of my early concerts was Whitney Houston.

[563] Oh, really?

[564] 12 years old.

[565] Yeah.

[566] We actually got tickets for my parents' anniversary, and we all went together as a family to Tanglewood in Western Massachusetts.

[567] Okay, now, is this the kind of place?

[568] Ours was Pine Knob.

[569] My mom took me to Hart.

[570] John Cougar Melanchamp was opening.

[571] That's exactly the kind of stuff I saw.

[572] I got hit in the fucking head with a 60 -gallon Coleman cooler, the steel kind.

[573] These two drunk dudes were like, lawn seating.

[574] These guys lost their footing behind us.

[575] And all of a sudden, you were like, oh, watch out.

[576] And I turned and just got fung.

[577] in the hell with this huge cooler, got knocked down.

[578] I survived clearly.

[579] All right, good.

[580] But that's, was it that kind of place where you could lose your teeth watching a concert?

[581] Yes, like, how don't, no, Tanglewood is the summer home in the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

[582] But Spack, the Saratoka Performing Arts Center, which is also where I saw a lot of shows, including John Cougar, Mellon Camp.

[583] Oh, sure.

[584] That was more of that joint.

[585] The first, the first big concert I ever went to alone, like, where I drove with, like, my boyfriend's older brother, who was, like, 16.

[586] By the way, note to parents, like, do not let your, like, 12 -and -a -half 13 -year -old daughter go with a bunch of teenage boys to a rock concert in a car, like, over a mountain, like, it was insane.

[587] Anyway, I obviously made it out alive, but it was a deaf leopard was my first, yeah, White Snake.

[588] White Snake opened for them, yeah.

[589] It was amazing.

[590] So that concert is exactly, brings me to the next one I was going to make is one of the things I realize my kids are not.

[591] here in Los Angeles, where my mom would take us somewhere like Pine Knob, you're going to see one or two fistfights.

[592] Like, that's guaranteed.

[593] You're going to see grown men fistfight each other in the beer line, maybe at the top of the hill and come rolling down.

[594] And clearly at Deaf Leopard, there was some scuffles.

[595] Oh, some scuffles.

[596] Yeah, yeah.

[597] And you really feel alive in those situations, don't you?

[598] Like, you got to watch your...

[599] I find that there's so little danger in childhood now.

[600] And it kind of bums me out.

[601] Me too.

[602] Me too.

[603] I like a little, I really grew in those moments of danger, and I really feel like, you know, it was all mostly contained, right?

[604] Like, nothing was, like, super out of control.

[605] Right.

[606] But I'm trying, like, I just moved and we're putting in, like, you know, a ninja warrior.

[607] My kids are obsessed with them.

[608] I have two boys.

[609] They just want to climb everything.

[610] Sure.

[611] So I had a guy out to the house to talk about, like, you know, building, like, a rock climbing wall and whatever.

[612] Like a jungle gym thing.

[613] And he's like, well, you.

[614] You know, maybe seven feet.

[615] I go, no, you're going to, maybe 10 feet.

[616] Oh, yeah.

[617] And they're like, well, I mean, if your kid falls, da, da, da, da.

[618] And I'm thinking, yeah, I mean.

[619] They'll break their arm.

[620] Yeah.

[621] I'll have a cast.

[622] People sign it.

[623] They'll be popular for a couple weeks.

[624] I think they will not care about climbing seven feet.

[625] I think unless they're at 10 feet, they're not going to feel the thrill of the climb.

[626] You know what I mean?

[627] Yeah.

[628] And then I'm just wasting my money building this thing.

[629] And because that's how I would feel about it at that age.

[630] I want to be high.

[631] Yeah.

[632] But the looks from this guy, like the judgment of like, and he said to me, he goes, it's not your kids, you know, other kids are going to come and plan that thing.

[633] And then I was like, oh, right.

[634] Right, you'll get sued, all that stuff.

[635] Because my own kids, I honestly am like, I don't know if they fall down and head injury.

[636] I mean, I was in the hospital constantly as a kid.

[637] Yeah, yeah.

[638] Really?

[639] I'm with you.

[640] Yeah.

[641] Somebody always was getting stitches or a brokenness or something or a sprain or whatever.

[642] You know, we were outside running around, jumping, doing stuff.

[643] we would poke like a beehive with a stick and then all run away.

[644] I'm like, let's just see what happens.

[645] Nature's video game, really.

[646] And there's something so amazing about being able to scare yourself and then learn your limit and then try it differently the next time.

[647] And so I don't really know how they get that without these kind of things.

[648] Yeah, my kids are really big skiers.

[649] They're really good skiers.

[650] And I can't ski with them because I spend the entire time like I don't trust them yet, even though I know they can do it.

[651] But I spend the whole time being like They're going to fly off a cliff You know like I just spend the whole time on high alert And then I'm not having fun Yeah How old are they?

[652] They're eight and almost seven I still have a six year old which I'm holding on to for dear life I feel like that's around the age where you start panicking a little bit Or the panic's setting in for me where I'm like Oh good she I mean she looks like a human being I'm definitely a panic Like six feels like a little kid Yeah, a child, a real child.

[653] And, oh, man, I'm desperate to keep holding on to that.

[654] Yeah.

[655] I'll keep holding on.

[656] I have to cover my face when I sing.

[657] I like that I'm getting you singing.

[658] He sings it constantly.

[659] Monica hates it, and I have to cover my face when I sing.

[660] Usually she's sitting where you're at, and so if I want to sing, I have to go like that.

[661] Or when he does impressions.

[662] Yeah, she hates my face one.

[663] Do you have a impression?

[664] Believe me, I'm, yeah, you get it.

[665] It's my view right now.

[666] Stay tuned for more armchair expert, if you dare.

[667] We've all been there.

[668] Turning to the internet to self -diagnose our inexplicable pains, debilitating body aches, sudden fevers, and strange rashes.

[669] Though our minds tend to spiral to worst -case scenarios, it's usually nothing, but for an unlucky few, these unsuspecting symptoms can start the clock ticking on a terrifying medical mystery.

[670] Like the unexplainable death of a retired firefighter, whose body was found at home by his son, except it looked like he had been cremated, or the time when an entire town started jumping from buildings and seeing tigers on their ceilings.

[671] Hey listeners, it's Mr. Ballin here, and I'm here to tell you about my podcast.

[672] It's called Mr. Ballin's Medical Mysteries.

[673] Each terrifying true story will be sure to keep you up at night.

[674] Follow Mr. Ballin's Medical Mysteries wherever you get your podcasts.

[675] Prime members can listen early and ad -free on Amazon music.

[676] What's up, guys?

[677] It's your girl Kiki, and my podcast is back with a new season, and let me tell you, it's too good, and I'm diving into the brains of entertainment's best and brightest, okay?

[678] Every episode, I bring on a friend and have a real conversation, and I don't mean just friends, I mean the likes of Amy Polar, Kell Mitchell, Vivica Fox, the list goes on.

[679] So follow, watch, and listen to Baby.

[680] This is Kiki Palmer on the Wondery app, or wherever you get your podcast.

[681] Okay, so you got into psych by doing what, American Summer.

[682] I got into, yeah, I know, I, well, I got my sag cartoon commercials.

[683] Okay.

[684] And Wet Hot was my, this was my first, like, legit movie.

[685] That was like a sag signatory movie.

[686] I had to change my name when I did that movie.

[687] Right, because you're Elizabeth Mitchell.

[688] Yes.

[689] And why did you pick banks?

[690] I made a list of names.

[691] I wanted to keep Elizabeth because I thought it would be weird if someone was like, hey, Monica.

[692] And I'd be like, I'm not going to answer to that.

[693] Sure.

[694] Like, I'm going to need my first name to stay the same.

[695] Yeah.

[696] And so I have a long first name.

[697] Elizabeth has many syllables.

[698] So I thought, short, last name.

[699] I alphabetized a list.

[700] Banks was at the top.

[701] You were in AP classes.

[702] I called SAG and I said, I'm going to go down this list.

[703] You tell me what's available.

[704] Elizabeth Banks.

[705] They said, available.

[706] I said, I'll take it.

[707] Oh, wow.

[708] That's it.

[709] So it didn't have any connection to a family name.

[710] Your mother working at the bank.

[711] That's what I thought.

[712] Yeah.

[713] When I read it, I was like, this is a nod to her mom.

[714] I really like it.

[715] Let's tell her that now.

[716] Yeah.

[717] I'm going to amend my story now that you've given me that great idea, that it was a nod to my mom.

[718] What a fun fucking movie to end up in as your first?

[719] The tale of that movie in my life.

[720] I mean, I still count David Wayne as one of my closest guy friends.

[721] I love him so much.

[722] And, you know, that whole group is just incredible people.

[723] Were you intimidated when you started that movie?

[724] Because there were people who were already doing comedy kind of professionally.

[725] And I don't know.

[726] I wasn't intimidated.

[727] That's not totally the word.

[728] But I was in awe.

[729] I really was in awe.

[730] Like I remember being on set, they would just do bits, like nonstop bits.

[731] And I didn't, you know, I didn't do improv or anything.

[732] And that was too dangerous for me. Like in college, there was a group called Without Annette, you know, and they did improv.

[733] And I was like, wow.

[734] Without a net.

[735] I want the words, you know.

[736] Now, of course, I love improv.

[737] I didn't really understand what was all going on.

[738] And I just thought.

[739] I'm amongst geniuses.

[740] Like they were so funny.

[741] They were constantly trying to one up each other and make each other laugh.

[742] And just the entire vibe of it was pretty great.

[743] And you were actually at camp.

[744] We literally were at camp.

[745] And so, you know, there's the documentary that is on Netflix or it was.

[746] I don't know if it still is.

[747] It was a raucous time in my.

[748] Yes.

[749] Right?

[750] There was a lot of alcohol consumption.

[751] A lot.

[752] Presumably some drug use.

[753] Presumably.

[754] Presumably.

[755] One could presume.

[756] I didn't fully immerse myself in it.

[757] Part of it, too, was like they were all friends.

[758] Right.

[759] And so I definitely felt a little bit like this outsider who got to sort of see how it was all working.

[760] And I think we got paid like four cents maybe.

[761] Sure, sure, sure.

[762] Before your age you took.

[763] And I was making more money as a catalog model and in doing commercials.

[764] Yeah.

[765] So we were shooting like in the Catskills and I was like renting a car and driving back to the city as much as I could to like audition for commercials to make some money to make actual money yeah because as fun as it was to be a camp I also really needed money there was some I remember Gene and Grafalo just literally saying like day two like I mean just why don't you just go to L .A. and get famous already and I was like oh all right so I'm not going to be accepted here yeah yeah energetically on that set, for sure there was this feeling of like, why are you here?

[766] Right, right, right, right.

[767] And I was kind of like, I like being funny.

[768] Yeah, I think this is fun.

[769] So after you do Wet Hot, how do you end up in Seabiscuit?

[770] Because that's a very big movie.

[771] That was because I was in Catch Me If You Can.

[772] Oh, okay.

[773] Yeah, so Deb Zane, I believe it was Deb Zane.

[774] It was either Debbaquilla.

[775] I'm pretty sure it's Deb Zane.

[776] Cast both of those films.

[777] And so she cast me and Catch Me If You Can.

[778] I got cast by Steven Spielberg, who watched a tape of me being silly, and I got cast as this bank teller.

[779] Wow, recurring thing.

[780] Wow, I know.

[781] Yeah, Banks is everywhere in my life.

[782] These are the signposts that tell me I'm on the path.

[783] We're going to find out if you found your child on the bank of a river at some point.

[784] So I was a bank teller and Catch me if you can.

[785] That tape made its way around in Gary Ross, who directed Seabiscuit, just basically trusted the casting director I mean he was seeing a lot of other a lot of other girls and now I'm so far in the business that I can say pretty confidently that they didn't want to pay anyone else like they were there were all these women who were up for that job and I'm sure that budgetarily they didn't leave any money for the girl role and so it was going to be played by like a newcomer who cost no money which was me. Right, right.

[786] Well, there's so many layers to the whole thing.

[787] So there's like, A, they're just not writing roles from him.

[788] B, the male actor is 20 years older than the female actress.

[789] That's kind of...

[790] Well, the main Toby McGuire was Spider -Man at that point.

[791] I'd been in Spider -Man.

[792] I played Betty Brandt with Toby in those movies.

[793] Yeah.

[794] And so now he's Spider -Man and he's going to be red and C -Biscuit.

[795] And then Jeff Bridges is there.

[796] And then Chris Cooper won an Oscar that year.

[797] Yeah.

[798] In American And beauty or...

[799] You know, I was a real low person on the totem pole on that set for many reasons.

[800] Yeah.

[801] How did your ego handle that stuff?

[802] Was that challenging for you?

[803] Were you fine with that?

[804] I felt new.

[805] I felt young and new.

[806] And I definitely wanted to be Julia Roberts.

[807] Sure.

[808] But I also am like, I can't...

[809] I don't sit around going like, why aren't...

[810] Why isn't the grass greener?

[811] You're not a big comparer.

[812] I really try not to.

[813] to be.

[814] Yeah.

[815] I mean, I certainly am.

[816] I do it, but...

[817] Well, you're a human being, right?

[818] Yeah, exactly.

[819] But I really try not to be.

[820] And now that I'm older and raising children, I really, really, really try not to be.

[821] And I'm also on the, like, on the other side of so many things and realizing, like, this was my path.

[822] This is what it was meant to be.

[823] Yeah.

[824] What other life was there going to be?

[825] This is the one that happened to me. So here I am.

[826] Yeah.

[827] Well, I am now of that opinion.

[828] And thank God, because it relieves so much suffering from wanting.

[829] and all this stuff.

[830] And yes, now in retrospect, it's like, oh, thank God the things I wanted to succeed failed and thank God the things I didn't want succeeded.

[831] Like, there's things that should win.

[832] I won when I went to Penn. Uh -huh.

[833] So I won so early because I wanted to get out of my town.

[834] I wanted to live in the city.

[835] I wanted to have a big life, whatever that meant.

[836] And I didn't know what that meant.

[837] I just knew that I wanted something.

[838] Right.

[839] And so everything is the icing on the cake.

[840] Right, right.

[841] You know, I met an amazing boy and I made a beautiful family and I get to do something so fun to make money for my job.

[842] Like, this is incredible.

[843] And I'm rich.

[844] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[845] Just to have those old things, I don't worry about the car payment.

[846] I don't worry about, like, if the car breaks down, how are we going to have hot water?

[847] I don't have to make any of those kinds of decisions.

[848] I have won.

[849] And I did it a long time ago.

[850] Oh, that's very healthy of you.

[851] Wait, did you want to be an actress while you were in college you knew?

[852] No. You didn't know until after.

[853] No. I didn't.

[854] I, the door kept opening and I just kept walking through it.

[855] Yeah, because you have a communications degree?

[856] Yeah, and I mean, I studied theater as well.

[857] I was all, I did it in high school, like, right as my, you know, it was like, you were an athlete and you broke your leg and then you got into a play.

[858] Yeah, I did Jesus Christ Superstar.

[859] I played Pontius Pilot.

[860] I still remember the song, of course, because I was all.

[861] I was like 12 and a half when I sang it.

[862] And, you know, you really remember music when you're from when you're 12.

[863] Oh, yeah.

[864] Have you sang, like, professionally in a movie, I mean?

[865] A little, but no, not in like a major role.

[866] I would.

[867] Sure, I would.

[868] Okay, I'll start writing.

[869] Get on it, that.

[870] What kind of music do you all?

[871] What if we did shot for shot remake a bodyguard?

[872] Oh, my God.

[873] It'd be my dream come to.

[874] Aren't they doing the bodyguard?

[875] You and the Houston role, me in the, uh, Whatever his name is.

[876] Cossner, Kevin Cossner.

[877] Kevin Cossner, he's a, we love him.

[878] Not a good episode for names.

[879] I was just thinking, who and I should have a, we got a name off.

[880] We should have a show that just talks about movies that we don't know the title of, and we don't know the actress's name.

[881] The whole episode is us describing what the person looks like and what other movie that we get the title wrong to they've been in.

[882] In your mind, so if you've always been like just filled with gratitude about all the little steps that were happening, There must also still be peaks within that, right?

[883] Where things you were like, oh, my God, I can't believe.

[884] Like, I've not had the experience.

[885] Being in Spider -Man, Spider -Man, like, that's the biggest movie of the summer, and it opens, and it's a bazillion dollars, and, you know, literally 100 million people have seen it.

[886] Those are pinch me moments, yeah, when that's happening?

[887] Yeah, I mean, ish, you know what I mean?

[888] Sure, I do.

[889] I feel like also, I really want to keep going up the mountain.

[890] I'm very uninterested in what.

[891] what's on the other side of the peak.

[892] Right.

[893] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[894] I hope I meet that and then it's over.

[895] Uh -huh, right.

[896] You change your ideas of success as you get successful.

[897] Oh, yeah, yeah.

[898] Well, I guess that's where I'm going.

[899] You didn't go like, oh, wow, now kind of all these opportunities are going to open up to me, which certainly many did.

[900] But did you have an expectation of what you were supposed to get next?

[901] Look, I definitely miss out on things, but also there were things that I didn't understand.

[902] Like, I remember reading legally blonde and being like, okay cool cool what is this movie about who am I okay but I'm a lawyer but is this in high school I'm 27 like in real life like what is this do you know what I mean there was those moments where I went and auditioned for that movie but like obviously Reese Witherspoon was supposed to be in that movie I was never supposed to be in that movie do you know yeah yeah there's just I have found the things I was really supposed to do I got to do and the things that would have been misses, I think, for me, I've missed.

[903] And then every once in a while, of course, there's something that you're like, God damn, and I wish that was me. Yeah.

[904] Have you ever bailed out of an audition?

[905] Yes.

[906] I did it exactly one time.

[907] It was the first time that I ever came to L .A., actually, from New York, where I was living at the time, to test for a pilot.

[908] It was, speaking of Reese Witherspoon, it was the TV show, Manchester Prep, which was the TV show version of cruel intentions.

[909] Okay, okay, sure.

[910] They made it into a TV show.

[911] It was for, I believe, the WB, which is now the CW.

[912] Sure.

[913] So it was like a new network.

[914] WB