Elizabeth Banks
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She's an underrated, funny, versatile actress.

He may be the best actor alive.

Hence, the exciting prospect of Elizabeth Banks teaming up with Russell Crowe for Paul Haggis' upcoming drama, The Next Three Days.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Banks is in final negotiations for the film, which is based on the 2008 French thriller Pour Elle. The story follows a man (Crowe) who sets out on a mission to save his wife (Banks) after she's arrested and convicted for a murder she claims she didn't commit.

Haggis will write, direct and produce the movie.

Elizabeth Banks has portrayed an amateur porn star, first lady Laura Bush and, in The Uninvited a"creepy psycho," as the actress herself describes it.

Earlier this week, she spoke about the latter role with MovieFone:

Q: Your role in The Uninvited was kind of a change of pace for you. Why did you choose it?
A: Pretty much for that exact reason -- I wanted to play the creepy psycho. I have this thing about when people tell me I can't do something, and I really felt like I needed to do it. And this was one of those things where most people involved -- except for the directors, who always knew that I could do it -- had to be convinced that it was something I could do. I kept getting told, 'She's the smiley one from The 40-Year-Old Virgin' [laughs].

Elizabeth Banks has gone from filming an amateur porn - in Zack and Miri Make a Porno - to starring in a horror movie.

She recently spoke to ShockTillYouDrop about the upcoming film, The Uninvited.

"It's a very gothic story. It's essentially a murder mystery. I think it's scarier [movie] because it's girls," the actress said. "I think what's chilling about this is you see Emily Browning and you think she's so sweet and cute with those big eyes and cheeks and you want to take care of her. To see her come alive with anger is powerful. With boys we expect aggression and it's not as chilling when they use it. You're not expecting it from girls and this movie is basically about Anna and Rachel butting heads."

Count Elizabeth Banks out of Spider-Man 4.

As the actress makes the publicity rounds for Zack and Miri Make a Porno, she tole CHUD that a small part such as Betty Brant (a secretary at The Daily Planet) would be unlikely to be included in the next installment of the franchise.

"They don't need Betty Brant. It's purely, at this point - and I don't think they see it this way - it's kind of a favor at this point," Banks said of the role.

Banks also shared an interesting story of how she got started in franchise:

"The story of Spider-Man is that I auditioned to play Mary Jane Watson and Laura Ziskin said 'She's too old.' It's fine. I'm a lot older than Kirsten Dunst, so I get it. I'm not much older than Toby, but... But I got it back then. And I was a nobody. I had no expectations of even being in that movie.

The casting director called and said, 'As a consolation prize essentially do you want to be Betty Brant?' So it started out as a consolation prize and it's become a favor."

For Josh Brolin, in his portrayal of George W. Bush for the movie W, we assume it's all about the incompetence.

Co-star Elizabeth Banks, who plays Laura Bush in the Oliver Stone movie, told the Los Angeles Times that playing the current First Lady was "all about the hair."

"Hair speaks volumes about every politician's wife," Banks said. "And I think you'll be impressed with my version of Laura Bush's very Republican hair. I did meet Laura once, in 2003, long before I knew I'd be playing her."

Asked about the movie's portrayal of the Bush family, the actress replied:

"The film really presents both sides. People who like George Bush will find many things in the movie to like and people who don't like George Bush will have their opinion validated as well. It's a fairly fair portrayal."

Following her gig as the First Lady, Banks will focus on making a porno with Seth Rogen. Sounds about right to us.

Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks grace the cover of the most recent Entertainment Weekly. But you'd be forgiven if you looked at the issue and thought the First Couple was actually featured in it.

Indeed, the two actors starred in Oliver Stone's movie about President George W. Bush, W, look eerily like their real-life counterparts.

The biopic will chronicle the life and presidency of the words President of the United States in this country's history. Bush is reportedly portrayed in the film as a foul-mouthed, reformed drunk obsessed with baseball, Saddam Hussein and the conflicted relationship with his dad.

Here's the rest of the cast:

• Thandie Newton as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice;
• Ioan Gruffudd as Tony Blair;
• Rob Corddry as Ari Fleischer;
• James Cromwell as George Herbert Walker Bush;
• Ellen Burstyn as Barbara Bush;
• Jeffrey Wright as General Colin Powell.

Elizbeth Banks is now in negotiations for the part of Laura Bush in Oliver Stone's W. Banks just recently finished filming Kevin Smith's Zack and Miri Make a Porno.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, W will be the biography of President George W. Bush. Josh Brolin is signed up to play Bush himself.

Shooting for W will begin in April in Shreveport, Louisiana.

We were sad to hear that Rosario Dawson backed out of the future Judd Apatow vehicle, Zack and Miri Make a Porno.

"It's going to be a really interesting film. I don't think I'm going to be a part of it. He wrote it for me, but I'm just signing on to do [Eagle Eye] and that's going to be shooting from November to March," the lovely actress said.

Fortunately, Apatow and star Seth Rogen have found a suitable replacement: Elizabeth Banks.

The adorable actress starred alongside Rogen in Knocked Up and was most recently seen as JD's girlfriend in Scrubs.