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18 Feb 2026 6:19
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Elizabeth Banks is so thankful that her husband is the "strongest supporter" of her career

    The 45-year-old actress-and-director says her spouse Max Handelman - a financier with whom she co-founded her production company Brownstone Productions - has "saved" her in "all possible" ways and was the person who gave her the confidence to step behind the camera and helm movies


    She said: "Max was the first person to believe in me as a director and he is my strongest supporter. He's saved me in all possible ways.

    "So much of your happiness depends on the person you are with and my husband and I are always side-by-side because we run our production company together.

    "Max's belief in me has never wavered and I am driven to accomplish as much as I can because I want him to be proud of me."

    Elizabeth - who made her directorial debut on 'Pitch Perfect 2' and has helmed the upcoming 'Charlie's Angels' reboot - also feels very lucky she has a flexible job that allows her a lot of time off with her sons, Magnus, eight, and six-year-old Felix.

    Speaking to Psychologies magazine, she said: "We have help at home and I'm lucky that I have a job where, after I come back from working on a film set for lengthy periods, I get to stay for several months and be with my children.

    "I have a good friend who works at the Department of Justice and she leaves her kids early in the morning and comes home late in the evening which, I think, is much harder.

    "I spend a lot of time looking after my two young children. I love being a mother and everything that comes with raising a happy family. I've adapted pretty well to managing my time.

    "There are so many working mothers who have a lot more stress than me and I still find raising two children can be exhausting - even when you have a great husband to help out."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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    Leslie Grossman and Sascha Penn are married 21:57

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    Entertainment:
    Harry Styles learnt "how to slow down" on his career break 20:57

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    Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo's sex life is better now that he is not "so big" 20:27

    Entertainment:
    Tyler Perry broke his collarbone in a "terrible" bike fall 19:57

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    James Van Der Beek's brother "didn't know it would hurt so badly" when he died 19:27

    Politics:
    The Greens say the Government's attacking workers with a major change to workplace law 18:57


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