"I Had Already Mourned The Loss Of My Fertility": Elizabeth Banks Struggled To Start A Family With Her Husband Of Almost 2 Decades

Elizabeth Banks met her husband, Max Handelman, at "a fraternity party" back in 1993 while they both were college students at the University of Pennsylvania. Handleman saw Banks outside with his friend's little sister and decided to hit on her.

The couple had dated for a decade before he popped up a question, and they tied the knot in 2003. "We have a good yin and yan," once explained the producer. How adorable is it?

Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman's family

Not everything has been prosperous and smooth between the two partners. In particular, Elizabeth Banks and her husband struggled to start a family due to infertility issues.

Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman have kids — Felix and Magnus Mitchell — but both were born via a gestational surrogate.

The American actress once stated:

It's essentially a test-tube baby — it's just that the test tube is another woman. That you can grow a baby outside of yourself! It's just amazing!

The Hunger Games star got used to her life right now, especially playing pregnant women on the screen, wearing a fake belly.

I had already mourned the loss of my fertility for myself, so I was past it.

Elizabeth Banks is a devoted wife to Max Handelman and a doting mother to their two sons. However, not being able to give birth affected her quite a long time ago. Writing in her blog, the star confessed:

The one true hurdle I've faced in life is that I have a broken belly. After years of trying to get pregnant, exploring the range of fertility treatments, all unsuccessful, our journey led us to gestational surrogacy: we make a "baby cake" and bake it in another woman's "oven."

Elizabeth Banks' children

Banks' two sons, Felix and Magnus Mitchell, are everything for her. When she is not promoting her movies or starring on her own, she loves making her family strong and close to one another. Talking to PEOPLE, the Pitch Perfect 2 star said:

They are really great friends. I'm really close with my siblings and my husband [Max Handelman], and I wanted to have our children close together for that reason. The fact that they're so loving toward each other and such good little friends is what makes my life.

Surrogacy is a very private matter, and not every couple is comfortable talking about it. Although Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman couldn't produce children on their own, they are still the happiest with what God granted them.