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===2005–2007===
In a May 2005 article, ''[[The New York Times]]'' profiled Banks as one of five young film actors to watch infor mid-2005that year.<ref>{{cite news|first=Karen|last=Durbin|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D03E4DC1630F93BA35756C0A9639C8B63|title=Summer Movies: Five Actors To Watch This Summer; Elizabeth Banks|accessdate=September 7, 2010|date=May 8, 2005|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> In her first of many features she was in 2005, Banks played a photographer in the drama ''[[Heights (film)|Heights]]'' .<!--as part of an ensemble cast that included [[Glenn Close]], [[James Marsden]], [[Jesse Bradford]], [[Isabella Rossellini]] and [[Michael Murphy (actor)|Michael Murphy]].--> The feature is about a pivotal twenty-four hours in the interconnected lives of five New Yorkers.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Kyle|last=Smith|title=Withering 'Heights'|date=June 17, 2005|work=[[New York Post]]|page=044}}</ref> Her performance in ''Heights'' was not well-received; [[Manohla Dargis]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that Banks seemed "too frail a vessel to carry the weight of all this cumbersome drama."<ref>{{cite news|first=Manohla|last=Dargis|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/2005/06/17/movies/17heig.html|title=A Long Day for Brooding and Yearning in the City|accessdate=September 9, 2010|date=June 17, 2005|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Banks next appeared in the comedy-drama ''[[Sexual Life]]'', which tells the story about individuals "connected by love, lust or both engage in sexy, funny, sad and delicious sexual adventures" a summary as described by the ''[[Orlando Sentinel]]'' in their recap.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Competition Feature Films|date=April 1, 2005|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|page=6}}</ref> Her next role was in ''[[The Sisters (2005 film)|The Sisters]]'', based on [[Anton Chekhov]]'s play ''[[Three Sisters (play)|Three Sisters]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060518/REVIEWS/60509004|title=The Sisters|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=May 19, 2006|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|accessdate=August 21, 2010}}</ref> ''The Sisters'' premiered at the 2005 [[Tribeca Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117927031.html?categoryid=31&cs=1|title=The Sisters|last=Scheib|first=Ronnie|date=May 9, 2005|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|accessdate=August 21, 2010}}</ref> Banks starred alongside [[Michael Showalter]] and [[Michelle Williams (actress)|Michelle Williams]] in ''[[The Baxter]]'', in which she played the fiancée of Showalter's character.<ref name="spi-bax">{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1112175,00.html|title=Elizabeth Banks|date=September 30, 2005|accessdate=September 8, 2010|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref>
In August 2005, Banks starred in a supporting role in ''[[The 40-Year-Old Virgin]]'' opposite [[Steve Carell]],<ref name="gq">{{cite news|first=Reihan|last=Salam|url=http://www.gq.com/women/photos/200710/elizabeth-banks-40-year-old-virgin|title=The Funniest Tramp in the Room|accessdate=August 21, 2010|date=October 2007|work=[[GQ (magazine)|GQ]]}}</ref> in a role that has gained her recognition.<ref>{{cite news|first=David|last=Walters|url=http://www.esquire.com/women/women-we-love/elizabeth-banks-0708|title=Elizabeth Banks Is on Our Team|accessdate=September 14, 2010|date=July 7, 2008|work=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]}}</ref> In the film she plays Beth, a shy bookstore salesgirl, who has a wild side, and a love interest for Carell's character.<ref>{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Clinton|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2005-08-19/entertainment/review.virgin_1_andy-stitzer-steve-carell-memorabilia?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ|title=Review: Hilarious '40-Year-Old Virgin'|accessdate=September 7, 2010|date=August 19, 2005|publisher=CNN}}</ref> The film received very favorable reviews,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-40-year-old-virgin|title=The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005): Reviews|accessdate=September 14, 2010|publisher=Metacritic}}</ref> with ''[[The Sacramento Bee]]'' reporting that Banks sparkled as a "sexual adventuress [and] delights in the silliness of her character".<ref>{{cite journal|first=Carla|last=Meyer|title=Bees do it, he hasn't - Steve Carell looks for love in 'The 40 Year-Old Virgin'|date=August 19, 2005|work=[[The Sacramento Bee]]|page=TK17}}</ref> It grossed $177 million worldwide.<ref name="box office" /> Her next role was in [[Katrina Holden Bronson]]'s ''[[Daltry Calhoun]]''.<ref>{{cite news|first=Christy|last=Lemire|url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/9416626|title='Daltry Calhoun' can't find its tone|accessdate=September 15, 2010|date=September 21, 2005|publisher=[[MSNBC]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Away from film, in August 2005, Banks appeared in a television show and a play; She appeared on the [[Comedy Central]] show ''[[Stella (TV series)|Stella]]'',<ref>{{cite episode|title=Meeting Girls|series=[[Stella (TV series)|Stella]]|credits=Writer(s): [[Michael Ian Black]], [[Michael Showalter]], [[David Wain]]; Director: [[John Hamburg]]|network=[[Comedy Central]]|airdate=August 7, 2005|season=1|seriesno=107|number=6}}</ref> and starred as the female lead in [[William Inge]]'s play ''[[Bus Stop (play)|Bus Stop]]'' as Cherie, a beautiful blondan aspiring nightclub singer at the [[Williamstown Theatre Festival]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Ben|last=Brantley|url=http://theater.nytimes.com/2005/08/23/theater/reviews/23bus.html|title=A Town Where March Comes in Like a Lion|accessdate=September 17, 2010|date=August 23, 2005|work=The New York Times}}</ref> Her portrayal as Cherie was acted "with poise, clarity and a shrewd feel for Cherie's complexities. Her performance is all of a piece and in harmony, stylistically, with the performances around her...", reported ''[[The Berkshire Eagle]]''.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Jeffrey|last=Borak|title=Love blooms in a Kansas diner|date=August 20, 2005|work=[[The Berkshire Eagle]]}}</ref> ''Variety'' wrote that Banks and [[Logan Marshall-Green]] "represent the play's hopeful heart."<ref>{{cite news|first=Frank|last=Rizzo|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117927954.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0|title=Bus Stop Review|accessdate=September 17, 2010|date=August 21, 2005|work=Variety}}</ref>
In 2006, returning to film, she starred in two features: ''[[Slither (2006 film)|Slither]]'' and ''[[Invincible (2006 film)|Invincible]]''.<ref name="boston">{{cite journal|first=Hugh|last=Hart|title=Wanted: Lead Role For a Smart Actress|date=August 20, 2006|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|page=N11}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Priya|last=Jain|url=http://www.premiere.com/Feature/Exclusive-Interview-Elizabeth-Banks-on-Zack-and-Miri|title=Exclusive Interview: Elizabeth Banks on 'Zack and Miri'|accessdate=August 23, 2010|date=October 28, 2008|work=[[Premiere (magazine)|Premiere]]|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5sCSkxVPy|archivedate=August 23, 2010}}</ref> ''Slither'', a comedy horror, is a movie about a small town overrun by [[slug]]s. Her decision to be part of the cast of ''Slither'' was becausedue to it wasbeing the funniest script she had come across.<ref>{{cite news|first=Larry|last=Carroll|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1526951/20060323/story.jhtml|title='Slither' Star Spends Shoot Covered With Brains, KY Jelly|date=March 30, 2006|accessdate=September 7, 2010|publisher=MTV}}</ref> The movie's budget cost was $15 million to make,<ref name="budget">{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=slither.htm|title=Slither (2006)|accessdate=September 7, 2010|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> but upon release, it grossed $7 million in the United States and $5 million internationally,<ref name="budget" /> qualifying it as a box office failure. Nonetheless, ''Slither'' received generally positive reviews from film critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/slither|title=Slither (2006): Reviews|accessdate=September 7, 2010|publisher=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> ''Invincible'', a family movie, is based on the true story of [[Vince Papale]], portrayed by ([[Mark Wahlberg]],) who played for the [[National Football League|NFL]] team the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] from [[1976 Philadelphia Eagles season|1976]]-[[1978 Philadelphia Eagles season|78]] NFL season. Banks played Janet Cantwell, a love interest for Wahlberg's Papale. ''Invincible'' director Ericson Core revealed that Banks "beat out several dozen actresses" for the Janet Cantwell part.<ref name="boston" /> The movie was generally favorable by critics, and grossed $58 million worldwide.<ref name="box office" /> Also in 2006, Banks began a recurring character in the NBC comedy show ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]]'' as Dr. [[Kim Briggs]], the love interest of character [[J.D. (Scrubs)|J.D.]] played by [[Zach Braff]]. She has since appeared in 15 episodes.<ref name="filmography" />
The following year, Banks starred as the wife of [[Aaron Eckhart]]'s character Bill in the black comedy ''[[Meet Bill]]'' (2007).<ref>{{cite news|first=Bill|last=White|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/movies/364175_meet23q.html|title=If you like your comedy without humor, you'll want to 'Meet Bill'|accessdate=September 7, 2010|date=May 22, 2008|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]}}</ref> The film was screened at a special presentation at the [[2007 Toronto International Film Festival|32nd annual Toronto International Film Festival]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Joe|last=Williams|title=Hollywood finds our 'nice' fest|date=November 23, 2007|work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|page=D4|quote=...[''Meet Bill'']] premièred {{sic}} to bad reviews at this year's Toronto film festival}}</ref> It had a limited release in April 2008 and was released worldwide the following month. ''Meet Bill'' was critically and financially unsuccessful.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/meet-bill|title=Meet Bill (2008): Reviews|accessdate=September 8, 2010|publisher=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> In September 2007 she guest starred in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] animated series ''[[American Dad!]]'', and she has since then appeared in two more episodes.<ref name="filmography" /> Banks returned to movies and had a small role in the Christmas comedy ''[[Fred Claus]]'' (2007).<ref>{{cite news|first=Manohla|last=Dargis|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/movies/09fred.html|title=The Dependent Claus|accessdate=September 7, 2010|date=November 9, 2007|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
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