Elizabeth Banks still feels 'judged' for having kids using a surrogate, hopes to help dispel stigma with her story
Director, writer, producer, and actor Elizabeth Banks believes she's still judged by people for having used a surrogate to have her children.
The 45-year-old Banks spoke about the stigma surrounding having children via surrogate during an interview with Net-a-Porter's Porter Edit, where she revealed she feels judged for using a surrogate to carry her two sons, eight-year-old Felix and seven-year-old Magnus.
According to a Daily Mail report, Banks was forced to rely on a surrogate on account of suffering from fertility issues that she has dubbed her "broken belly", which prevent her from carrying her own children.
"I definitely think I'm still judged for what I've done and that people don't understand my choices, but I don't feel I owe anybody any explanation," the filmmaker said. "If my story helps people feel less alone on their journey, then I'm grateful for that."
She shares both of her sons with her 46-year-old husband Max Handelman, whom she has been with for over two decades. Banks believes the success of their relationship is largely because they have been "constantly making decisions that kept us close".
"Twenty-seven years. It's the thing I'm most proud of," she said of her relationship with Handelman. "I do think people grow together or they grow apart. We definitely grew together. We were constantly making decisions that kept us close."
Handelman previously worked on Wall Street in finance until he decided to join Banks in the industry. He is now a partner in the film production company Brownstone Productions.
"He worked an 80-hour week," Banks explained. "I was traveling all the time in a career that requires me to film on location for up to six months of the year. Forming the company really was about trying to combine our professional and personal goals."
Banks' career has hit a bit of a rough patch at the moment with her $50 million dollar 'Charlie's Angels' threequel having brought in just $8.6 million dollars in its first weekend, far below its projected sales of $12-15 million.
"First of all, everyone that sees the movie loves the movie. I think that we had a problem with just, like, no one knew it was out," Banks claimed during the movie's London premiere.
Banks had previously said that if 'Charlie's Angels' failed, it would be seen as evidence that men do not like watching women in action movies. This statement has since drawn massive backlash online.
