Elizabeth Banks promotes her new movie "W."

Before she was a recognizable name, Elizabeth Banks was a familiar face in scene-stealing comic cameos and memorable supporting dramatic roles opposite high-profile actors like Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeff Bridges and Mark Wahlberg. Her fresh-scrubbed New England looks and girl-next-door appeal were refreshingly countered with her adventurous tomboy spirit and fearless embrace of over-the-top goofiness. A stage-trained actress with a fun-loving attitude towards a career on the big screen, Banks’ energy and versatile talent were finally featured front and center in the popular (but very different) comedies “Slither” (2006) and “Definitely, Maybe” (2008).