From background roles to building a production empire, Jessica Banks is the IMDb Pro actress rewriting the playbook on creative independence and perseverance.
From Queens to the Big Screen
Jessica Banks isn’t just a name you’ll find trending on Google, Yahoo, and Bing, she’s a powerhouse from Jamaica, Queens, New York City, who’s turned dreams into digital and cinematic reality. You may have seen her in When The Tables Turn and its sequel, When The Tables Turn: Reservation For 2, both streaming on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video. But that’s just the beginning of her story.
With her third feature film, Deceitful Misery: Queens, Money, Love, & Music, currently in the works, a cross-play collaboration with musician Carter Brown, Banks is making bold moves, all under the banner of her own rising company, DavisBanks Productions.
DavisBanks Productions: A Brand Born on the Road
The seed for Jessica’s production company wasn’t planted in a boardroom. It started on a late-night drive to Connecticut. “I was driving and saw an Amazon Prime truck speeding next to me. I just said, ‘I wonder what it would take for me to put a movie on Amazon Prime,’” she recalls. That question sparked months of relentless research, trial, and error. The outcome? A self-made deal with Amazon Prime to feature her debut film.
By combining her parents’ last names, Davis and Banks, she created DavisBanks Productions in 2021, aiming to provide opportunities for fresh talent while telling stories that reflect real, raw life experiences. Her model? She screens her own projects, directing her team with care, and making sure everyone on set feels valued and seen.
From Extras to Empowerment
Before leading her own company, Jessica was in the trenches—working background roles in Law & Order SVU, Law & Order: Original, Orange Is The New Black, Power, and Pose. Her big break came with a small principal role as Big Bertha Purvis in The Last OG (Season 1, Episode 9). But for Jessica, that taste of recognition wasn’t enough.
“I just knew I had more to give than playing bit parts,” she says. That ambition led her to create characters and stories of her own, flipping the power dynamics and making space for underrepresented voices.
Headlining House of Vegas Pride
Her growing fanbase will soon see her in the spotlight at the House of Vegas Pride Festival, a major booking that confirms her rising status as both an actress and cultural figure. “Go to VegasPrideHouse.com.com, you’ll find me right there on the lineup,” Jessica beams. From her indie film beginnings to Las Vegas billboards, her ascent is impossible to ignore.
A Brand Built on Authenticity and Karma
“One Thing About Them Tables, They Always Turn”, this isn’t just a quote Jessica lives by; it’s the heartbeat of her films. When The Tables Turn wasn’t just a script, it was a message. “As human beings, we all reap what we sow. Karma is real, and I wanted to show that in my storytelling,” she explains.
With DavisBanks Productions, she’s creating films that not only entertain but challenge perspectives and provoke conversation.
Leading With Vision and Grit
What truly sets Jessica Banks apart? She’s the writer, director, CEO, and energy behind every scene. “There are no moving pieces without me,” she says confidently. And despite the economic slowdown that’s impacted the entertainment industry, Jessica and her team remain focused on completing Deceitful Misery by Fall 2025.
“My vision is to turn DavisBanks Productions into a full-fledged studio where I can do all the work on my own time on my own terms. And I’m already queuing up stories that I know will find new audiences.”
More Than a Movie Star – An Inspiration
Jessica Banks hopes her journey inspires others: “I want people who are just starting out to come to DavisBanks Productions to see what the hype is about, to take their first steps here.” She’s living proof that you don’t need permission to pursue your purpose, you just need drive, vision, and a little bit of Queens hustle.
Follow Jessica Banks:
IMDb Pro: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7732240/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/presidentbanks
