Jews Making News: Bruckheimer, Banks
Elizabeth Banks Honored at ‘Power of Women’ Event
Actress Elizabeth Banks was honored at the fifth annual Variety Power of Women luncheon for her philanthropic work.
The event, presented by Lifetime Television, recognizes women in the entertainment industry and contributions they make to better the world. Banks works with the American Heart Association to encourage women to monitor their cholesterol.
In addition to Banks, the event also acknowledged the charitable work done by Amy Poehler, Charlize Theron, Amy Pascal, Kerry Washington and Nicole Kidman.
Banks, meanwhile, is readying for the release of the next “Hunger Games” installment, “Catching Fire” out this November. She plays Effie Trinket in the series, a colorful and nearly unrecognizable role for her.
In 2003, Banks converted to Judaism when she married sports writer Max Handelman. The couple has two sons, Felix and Magnus.
Jerry Bruckheimer to Receive American Cinematheque Award
Film and TV producer Jerry Bruckheimer will receive the 27th American Cinematheque award later this year for his prolific career in film and television.
Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese, among others, have been presented the award in recent years. Bruckheimer, a long-time producer of big budget films, is perhaps best known for such blockbusters as “Top Gun,” “CSI,” and Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.
His involvement in “Pirates” made headlines at the time when it was announced that his nearly 20-year business relationship with Disney would be ending in 2014.
Of particular interest in Georgia, Bruckheimer and his wife, Linda, have donated a portion of Bruckheimer’s Disney paycheck to the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home Foundation, based in Savannah.
Bruckheimer, a native of Detroit, is the son of German Jewish immigrants and has had an avid interest in films since childhood. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Algebra. He got his start producing television commercials before moving onto films and TV series.
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