Elizabeth Banks recalls being told she cannot direct men in Hollywood

Elizabeth Banks discussed her directing career on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ while promoting ‘The Miniature Wife’

Elizabeth Banks has spoken about the gendered barriers she faced in Hollywood, recalling being told early in her directing career that male actors would not follow instructions from a female filmmaker. She shared the comments during a recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, where she was promoting her Peacock comedy series The Miniature Wife.

Banks said she was explicitly advised that she could not direct men because they would not respond to her authority. She described the remark as a reflection of attitudes she encountered while transitioning from acting into directing and producing. Despite the comment, she went on to build a directing portfolio that includes studio films such as Pitch Perfect 2, Charlie’s Angels and Cocaine Bear.

She pointed to her experience working with actor Ray Liotta on Cocaine Bear as evidence that the early criticism did not reflect reality. Liotta appeared in the film before his death in 2022, and Banks noted that their collaboration demonstrated her ability to lead established performers on set. The film went on to earn approximately $90m worldwide.

Banks has previously spoken about challenges surrounding the release of Charlie’s Angels in 2019, which she directed and also produced. The film, which starred Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska, grossed around $73m globally. She has said in earlier interviews that the marketing and media framing of the project focused heavily on gender, which she felt overshadowed the work itself and influenced public perception.

In her latest comments, Banks reiterated that she found the industry’s response to female-directed projects often reductive. She said discussions frequently centred on her gender rather than the filmmaking itself, something she believes can limit how audiences interpret a film before seeing it.

During the interview, she also addressed how she has responded to scepticism by continuing to work across multiple roles in the industry. Alongside directing, Banks remains active as an actor and producer, balancing studio projects with television work.

Her current series, The Miniature Wife, continues her collaboration with Peacock and reflects her ongoing involvement in both comedic and dramatic storytelling. Banks said she continues to focus on expanding her directing work rather than engaging with earlier doubts about her capabilities.

Her comments add to wider ongoing discussions in Hollywood about representation behind the camera and the barriers faced by women in leadership roles within the film industry.