Woman Crush Wednesday: Pledging Allegiance to ‘Mrs. America’ Star Elizabeth Banks

I’ve got three pieces of great news for you, dear reader. The first: We are officially halfway through April (which means we are hopefully, fingers crossed, that much closer to being able to enjoy the great outdoors safely again). The second: Today is, once again, Woman Crush Wednesday (woohoooo)! The third: Today’s WCW is an absolute American treasure — everybody please give it up for your WCW, the terrific Elizabeth Banks!

WHO’S THAT GAL: Elizabeth Banks

WHY WE’RE CRUSHING: Banks is one of the highlights among the star-studded cast (Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, and Tracey Ullman, just to name-drop a few!) of new Hulu original drama miniseries Mrs. America, which drops its first three episodes on the platform today, April 15th. According to a 2018 article by Deadline, “Mrs. America tells the true story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and the unexpected backlash led by a conservative woman named Phyllis Schlafly[…]. Through the eyes of the women of that era — both Schlafly and second-wave feminists Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, Bella Abzug and Jill Ruckelshaus — the series explores how one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture wars of the ’70s helped give rise to the Moral Majority and forever shifted our political landscape.” Banks portrays Ruckelshaus, a former special White House assistant and served as a commissioner for the United States Commission on Civil Rights from 1980 to 1983.

Love for Mrs. America has already come pouring in: The New York Times recently gave the show a rave review, describing it as “a disco ball packed with TNT, a pop-literate political drama that’s not too cool to be optimistic, not too triumphalist to lay down a challenge to its country today,” and sharing nothing but praise for the outstanding ensemble cast. Mrs. America has received additional praise from USA Today, CNN.com, TV Insider, and more, showing that Banks’ (and her costars’) performances are clearly ones to watch in this must-see new series. Decider’s own Kayla Cobb agrees, describing it as “chillingly relevant” in her Mrs. America review.

WHERE YOU’VE SEEN HER BEFORE: I think the bigger question is where haven’t you seen Banks? The talented actress, director, writer, and producer made her big-screen debut acting in 1998 indie film Surrender Dorothy, and from there exploded onto the scene, within the next five years earning supporting or starring roles in films such 2001 satirical comedy Wet Hot American Summer, Spider-Man in 2002, 2002 biographical crime film Catch Me If You Can, and 2003 sports film Seabiscuit, and also in that time, had guest roles in hit television series such as All My Children, Sex and the City, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

From there, Banks continued to rock roles in screens both big and small, including 2005 comedy film The 40-Year-Old Virgin, highly underrated and absolutely hilarious 2008 comedy film Role Models, 2012 blockbuster dystopian film The Hunger Games (and the subsequent sequel films in 2013, 2014, and 2015), 2012 hit musical comedy film Pitch Perfect (and its sequel films in 2015 and 2017), 2014 biographical drama film Love & Mercy, and most recently, 2019 action comedy film Charlie’s Angels –which she also directed and wrote (just to name a few). Banks has also recurring roles in popular television series, like Modern Family and 30 Rock (she was nominated twice for each show for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series), as well as Scrubs, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, and was the host for the revival of gameshow Press Your Luck. And believe it or not, this is the condensed version, folks. There’s simply nothing Banks hasn’t been in or cannot do!

WHERE YOU’LL SEE HER AGAIN: Naturally, with a filmography as extensive and impressive as Banks’s, she’s got plenty of future projects coming her way and lined up for the future. Banks has been cast alongside Anthony Mackie and Jamie Foxx in drama film Signal Hill (currently in pre-production), in which lawyer Johnnie Cochran (Mackie) takes on a police brutality case in 1981 in which a young college student dies under suspicious circumstances in police custody.

Perhaps even more impressive, however, is the impressive amount of projects that Banks has on the horizon for which she will be behind the camera; It has been announced that the star will direct romcom TV movie The Greater Good, as well as act as producer for comedy film White Girl Problems, an Untitled Savion Einstein Project, and an Untitled Elizabeth Banks/Max Handelman Project, and additionally as executive producer for The Greater Good, dramatic TV movie Spirited, comedic TV series Paige One, and comedic TV series Patty’s Auto. Are you guys in awe? Because I am.

For more from Banks you can find her (and maybe also find out for secrets for she does all of this… PLEASE TEACH US YOUR WAYS, ELIZABETH!!) on Twitter, Instagram, and her official website.

Watch Mrs. America on Hulu.