Actress Elizabeth Banks is currently appearing on the survival show Bear Grylls Is Running Wild, which premiered April 21, 2026, on FOX. The series puts celebrities through rugged outdoor challenges, and Banks is among eight famous faces joining adventurer Bear Grylls for 48-hour wilderness trips.
While fans watch her take on glaciers and canyon descents, many are curious about the person she returns home to. Elizabeth Banks has been married to Max Handelman since July 5, 2003. The couple has been together for over 33 years, first meeting as college students at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993.
A College Meeting That Almost Did Not Happen
Banks and Handelman met on her first day of college at a fraternity party. The actress later shared on the Call Her Daddy podcast that Handelman was not immediately interested in her. He was also talking to another girl named Kate at the time.
Banks tried to give him her phone number, but Handelman said he did not have a phone. She replied that if he did not want her number, he could just say so, because there are phones in the world and he could find one if he cared. The honest response worked.
Their first date happened at a jazz club, which Banks later called the greatest date of her life. She has joked about their early attraction, noting that Handelman was wearing a vest with no shirt when they met and looked exactly like Jason Priestley from Beverly Hills, 90210.
From College Sweethearts to Business Partners
After graduating, Banks moved to New York to pursue acting, and Handelman followed her. He first worked as an investment banker before getting his MBA from the University of California. He also co-wrote a book called Why Fantasy Football Matters: (And Our Lives Do Not), published in 2006.
In 2002, the couple started their own production company called Brownstone Productions. Banks has said she brought Handelman into filmmaking because their careers kept them apart too much. She was traveling for acting work up to six months each year, and forming the company helped them combine their professional and personal goals.
Handelman’s book agent sent the couple a proposal about a cappella groups, which became the basis for the Pitch Perfect film franchise. The movies were a massive success and turned Banks into a major producer. Other Brownstone Productions projects include Shrill, Charlie’s Angels (2019), Cocaine Bear, and Bottoms.
Banks describes their working relationship as yin and yang. She calls herself fiery and emotional, while Handelman is diplomatic, business-minded, and calm. She has said they have always made decisions that kept them together as a couple, and they are good at working together.
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Marriage, Kids, and IVF Journey
The couple married on July 5, 2003, at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. They have two sons, Felix, 15, and Magnus, 13. Banks has been open about her difficult path to parenthood.
She revealed on the Modern Love podcast in April 2026 that she went through nearly 10 rounds of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) before welcoming her sons through surrogacy. Her doctor initially suggested surrogacy but said they could also try IVF first. Banks said they undertook nine procedures to have their two children.
Banks explained that she has what she called a hostile uterus, which prevented fertilized eggs from implanting. The couple ended up using gestational surrogacy, which Banks describes as making a baby cake and then baking it in another woman’s oven.
Despite the challenges, Banks has kept her children mostly out of the spotlight. She continues to share parenting stories in interviews. During a March 2026 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, she revealed that she gave her sons the sex talk during a family vacation on Cape Cod.
What Is Max Handelman Doing Now?
Handelman continues to run Brownstone Productions with Banks. He serves as a producer on their film and television projects. The couple remains based in Los Angeles.
Banks has spoken about why their marriage has lasted more than three decades. She told Parade that it is the thing she is most proud of. She believes people either grow together or grow apart, and they definitely grew together by constantly making decisions that kept them close.
As for Banks on Bear Grylls Is Running Wild, the show airs Tuesdays at 9:00 PM ET/PT on FOX. New episodes become available the next day on Hulu for viewers in the US. The series features eight celebrities including Matthew McConaughey, Uma Thurman, and Tiffany Haddish. Each episode follows Bear Grylls taking one celebrity through a 48-hour survival adventure in locations like Norway’s glacial wilderness and the mountains of Wales.
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