Elizabeth Banks

Banks credits the late "Goodfellas" star with unwavering support, "When Henry Hill follows you, you can make anything you want."

Director Elizabeth Banks spoke to Insider about making the horror comedy that is one of the most anticipated movies of 2023.

Everything that I wanted in is in the movie, but I did pull out some gore toward the end. But because of that, there were a lot of great character beats that did end up on the cutting-room floor and they were heartbreakers. And then we recreated in Ireland the shots from the footage of the accident. But people were confused, they asked if the bear was going to be animated. The bear makes the coke better and the coke makes the bear better. The way everyone dressed, the people in the background, that came right out of the research. We had a really high blind recruit rate because people were just like "What the hell?" And in regards to what happened, we saw the necropsy report from that bear. I do not use any slow motion in the movie except for one moment, and that moment is the bear jumping into the back of the ambulance. The very first thing in terms of the CGI was the bear sneezing the cocaine, and I think we thought that was going to be the essence of the whole movie. Its heart basically burst, its liver burst, and the bear was found surrounded by the drugs that were dropped. How deep down the rabbit hole did you go in regards to what really happened?

The director of the retro thriller on what it took to bring this bizarre true story to life.

And I would show it with Shaun of the Dead... EB: The biggest challenge is that you have to edit the movie without the star of the movie. And Madonna in the poster is wearing a white shirt and black overalls. I will say that the first edit of the ambulance chase scene, which is everyone’s favorite scene—and mine too... I mean, you’re really trying to mark through where you think the bear is, how big the bear is in frame, what the bear is doing. And Deedee is wearing that outfit throughout the movie—a kid version of Madonna’s black overalls over the t-shirt. I made the two kids in this movie watch it because it’s so much about kids walking through the woods and encountering adult scenes, adult ideas... And also the music, the soundtrack. I want to draw people into the sense of place through the music. I was probably 11 when I got to go see that movie in a theater. “My initial reaction to the script was that it was also a great character piece,” says Banks, who spoke with BAZAAR.com about why she signed on to bring Cocaine Bear to life and the big-screen blockbusters that inspired her. When the gonzo trailer for Cocaine Bear was unleashed in November, the combination of the B-movie premise laced with A-list actors (including the late Ray Liotta) had the internet breathlessly asking, "Is this for real?"

Elizabeth Banks discusses family being the heart of Cocaine Bear, how the movie shows nature always defeating man, and justice for the real bear.

And I think to me, that was also the theme in the movie that I wanted to explore: man's hubris when it comes to nature. I love being able to bring audiences along for whatever that is and in whatever form it takes. Is a superhero film in the DC Universe something that you'd want to tackle next? A father mourning the loss of his wife, trying to connect with his son. And I found out that in the real story, the bear consumed this cocaine, OD'd, and died. Why did you want to bring that emotional touchdown for the protagonist? You think you understand who the villain is in the movie, and then at a certain point, we tip the scales, and you start to realize, "Oh, right. And I just felt like this movie was the redemption story for that bear. Cocaine Bear is the third feature that Banks has directed and her first foray into the subgenre of comedy thriller or comedy horror. However, whereas in the movie the bear goes on a killing spree, the actual bear in question died shortly after consuming the cocaine. Is it a way to help the real Cocaine Bear find a sense of vengeance for their death? She explains how parenthood is the emotional touchstone of the movie for all the different characters, including the bear.

The famed actor "was so happy. He was laughing. It was just delightful,” said Banks.

The actress and director, who worked with Liotta on Cocaine Bear before he died in May 2022, says she watched Liotta and his fiancée Jacy Nittolo walking ...

"Not from set or playing the character, but of him just living his best life in Ireland on this beautiful night, walking on this street with a woman that he loved." In real life, however, he was a big softie, the movie's director, [Elizabeth Banks](https://people.com/tag/elizabeth-banks/) tells PEOPLE. "Today, Ray would have been 68," Nittolo, 48, continued. And it was just so charming," says Banks. They were clearly coming from dinner. The main street is called Castle Street because there's a castle on it, along with pubs and a wine shop.

Cocaine Bear, which premieres this weekend, will mark Ray Liotta's final feature film. While walking the red carpet for the film's Los Angeles premiere last ...

The cocaine was found and ingested by an American Black Bear who would also later die. [Cocaine Bear](https://movieweb.com/movie/cocaine-bear/) is based on the true story of a former narcotics officer and drug smuggler, Andrew C. He was 67 at the time of his death. Liotta earned praise for his role as Big Jim Keene, the protagonist's struggling father. In addition, Liotta received a Primetime Emmy Award for his guest star role on ER in 2005. He was laughing.

In Cocaine Bear late Ray Liotta plays a ruthless drug kingpin trying to recover his stash, however director Elizabeth Banks revealed in an interview with People ...

Not from set or playing the character, but of him just living his best life in Ireland on this beautiful night, walking on this street with a woman that he loved." He was also joined by his fiancée Jacy Nittolo. They were clearly coming from dinner.

Upcoming film Cocaine Bear arrives in cinemas tomorrow and the director shares how the bear was created in collaboration with visual effects company Weta.

"[It was a] blow by blow of the gore. "I'm a director and directors like to have a sense of control over the material – and it was really scary to me. [subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article). Wondering what to watch on TV? Cocaine Bear is released in cinemas on Friday 24th February 2023. I said this has to look like we've made a documentary of this bear. And luckily, Weta came through with flying colours." Meanwhile, star Keri Russell said that the cast had nicknamed the bear 'Cokie' on set – and she added that she was able to draw on her previous experience working with Weta a few years ago, when she had a role in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. "And he's also a stunt performer – so there was never a moment on set where if the actors were meant to be encountering the bear that we did not have Allan Henry there for everyone to have an eyeline, a physical something to push against. Banks added that although there was no bear actually present on set, she did utilise an "incredible bear performer" named Allan Henry – a veteran of the Planet of the Apes films – to help her block the action. I really had to trust Weta, who were great partners, and trust that the resources were going to be there [and] that the bear was going to be photorealistic." "I was about to embark on making a movie where the central character was never going to be on set, and I was going to have no control over it," she said.

Elizabeth Banks says that 'Cocaine Bear,' which she directed, and produced with Brownstone cofounder Max Handelman, is a direct line from 'Wet Hot American ...

“As a female filmmaker, and someone with a company that cares about centering female stories, I felt like I was being put in this box of ‘She’s got a feminist manifesto at the center of everything.’ And I just wanted to just remind people, ‘You don’t know me! “That to me was the crux of this opportunity—and to show off a little bit.” “It was impossible to know what the reaction to Cocaine Bear would be,” he says. The fact that she directed the film might even be a surprise to many of those millions of people who watched the trailer. “I do bring a lot of experience to the table—I’m not floundering around.” Even in that regard, it’s easy for Hollywood to lean on blockbuster superhero movies or other franchises that have a proven track record of pulling people into theaters. “It’s been a chaotic past several years that has hovered over our entire country and culture,” Handelman says. But when Thornton jumped out of the plane, his parachute malfunctioned, and he fell to his death on a driveway in a residential neighborhood in Knoxville, Tenn. A film as outlandish as Cocaine Bear is truly best experienced in a theater full of strangers. “In the true story, the bear dying is really sad. But I’m slowly becoming more confident that people are going to like it.” All she would tell me is that the premise was exactly what you’d expect from the title.

Marian Leitner-Waldman wanted more than a celebrity endorsement for Archer Roose, so Elizabeth Banks came on as part owner.

“And it also allows her to compartmentalize yet still perform at a very high level. And the only way to really do that, we felt, was with a cheekiness and humor while still recognizing that wine is inherently sophisticated. “And I know a lot of working moms. And this was an opportunity that was presented to me that really felt like it aligned with my values.” It’s not enough for an influencer or celebrity to say “Buy this drink.” More and more consumers are looking for a deeper affinity beyond between a star and what they’re selling as a signal of authenticity. “And that is because social media changed the game. “‘We’re going to tell you stories about your life and how our product fits into it. Read highlights from the episode below, and be sure to listen in full on And we always said that Elizabeth Banks would be the perfect person to embody the spirit of Archer Roose.” “I need you to be bought into the brand and what we’re doing. “We can’t take ourselves too seriously, because we’re wine in a can,” Leitner-Waldman says. As an avid and very vocal coffee lover, any coffee brand would’ve been clamoring to leverage her massive platform for a sponsored ad or post.

Cocaine Bear director Elizabeth Banks has packed a surprise for everyone in the film, especially for her mom.During an interview with Variety, “no one knows ...

She will laugh, and she’s going to love Margo Martindale and Isiah Whitlock Jr, and the dog. “I told her she’s going to be mad. “My poor mother is the least informed,” she continued.

Elizabeth Banks is worried about how her mother and aunts will react when they watch her movie 'Cocaine Bear' for the first time.

Elizabeth Banks told Insider she took out a violent scene because she didn't want people to "throw up" leaving the theater.

And don't worry horror fans, there's more than enough gore in the movie. It's coming to a close, and I wanted people to leave happy and not be freaking out and wanting to throw up." "We also filmed his death, but I took it out."

While making Cocaine Bear in Ireland in 2021, director Elizabeth Banks put her sons Felix, 11, and Magnus, 10, in the background of one scene, ...

"I have a son who's just been applying to middle schools, and they're doing a lot of sports right now, and they're in the play. "But that being said, they're very flexible, they're very supportive," says Banks. "I'm being a lot better about protecting my time nowadays," she says. It's the best way to get over a hangover." I don't nap." "I'm type A.

Elizabeth Banks told Insider she took out a violent scene because she didn't want people to "throw up" leaving the theater.

'Cocaine Bear' filmmaker Elizabeth Banks caught up with Deadline to discuss her pitch for the horror-comedy, her plans for the future and more.

Yell out.” It was just so fun that that was how I was able to get the performance, was just describing you being eaten alive. I like to go to the theater and be entertained. I want everybody to be excited about the movie that we’re about to make. I mean, the combination of Keri Russell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Margo Martindale, the three of them got on like a house on fire. I’m a husband grieving the loss of my wife and trying to connect with my son. I like to be on; I like to be up in everybody’s business on set. So when I say this movie was risky, when I say that I was scared of it…Look, I can bring great actors to set. BANKS: I’m proud to say that PETA did reach out to us at the very beginning to ask how it was going to work. The rampaging bear on cocaine was a great hook, but I knew that the opportunity here was to make something with these grounded characters that the audience would fall in love with. I was in love with them on the page, and then I got this incredible cast, and that’s what really kept me invested the whole time. I’m getting older, and I want to stay relevant and be in the conversation.” It’s definitely rare to read something that you think, “Oh, I can’t wait to commit two and a half years of my life to this.” [Laughs] You’ve got to really feel that there’s some passion behind it, and I just fell in love with the characters in this script.