Whether it’s her unparalleled ferocity or unyielding strength, Hilary Swank is one of the most iconic actors in history. Her two Oscar wins for Boys Don’t Cry and Million Dollar Baby cement her as an icon of cinema.
She’s also an accomplished activist and philanthropist. Check out what’s next for the award-winning actress!
Personal Life
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Hilary Swank’s childhood was marked by financial difficulties. Her father, a National Guard member and travelling salesman, was rarely at home; her mother, Judy, was steadfast in her support of her daughter’s acting ambitions. When Judy decided that Hollywood was the place to launch Hilary’s career, she and her daughter set out on the road in 1990 with only $75 and a gas station credit card between them.
Swank’s filmography includes a role on the popular teen drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a leading turn in The Next Karate Kid. She has also starred in the espionage thriller Insomnia, the biopic Amelia, and the Western The Homesman. Her Oscar-winning performance in Boys Don’t Cry set a new standard for the depiction of transgender persons, and she continues to be an advocate for tolerance of human diversity.
Swank’s most recent projects include Brian De Palma’s 1940s mystery The Black Dahlia and the supernatural thriller The Reaping. She also returned to her roots as a writer and producer for the drama Freedom Writers, based on the true story of a Long Beach high school teacher, and starred as a woman fighting for her brother’s innocence in the film Conviction. She recently paired with actor/director Ben Schneider to produce and star in the pair’s upcoming feature, The Other Side of the Door.
Acting Career
Few actors have had such a wide-ranging film career as Hilary Swank. Since her start in sitcoms and teenage dramas, she’s appeared in historical epics, science fiction, supernatural horror and courtroom dramas, among other genres. She’s even starred in a few TV shows.
After a short stint on the television show Harry and the Hendersons, she began landing guest appearances on various sitcoms including Evening Shade and Growing Pains. Her big break came in 1992, when she landed a role on the hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She soon landed a regular role on the ABC family comedy Camp Wilder and a supporting turn in The Next Karate Kid, which was roundly derided at the time for booting Daniel LaRusso.
Swank’s first two major films were the transgender melodrama Boys Don’t Cry and Clint Eastwood’s boxing dramedy Million Dollar Baby, which brought her international recognition. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for both roles. Her next few films, the historic drama The Affair of the Necklace, the thriller Insomnia and the sci-fi adventure The Core were less successful. But she returned to prominence in the sex thriller Fatale and as a reporter on the short-lived TV series Alaska Daily.
In the latter, she exposed sororities and delved into Native American issues. Other notable movies include Brian De Palma’s 1940s mystery The Black Dahlia, the harrowing reenactment of the Lindbergh kidnapping The Reaping and the romantic comedy P.S. I Love You.
Philanthropic Efforts
In addition to her acting career, Swank is involved in a number of humanitarian endeavors. Her philanthropic work demonstrates her dedication to making a positive impact in the world around her. Her efforts in both the entertainment industry and the greater community serve as inspiration to aspiring actors and compassionate individuals alike.
Swank’s extensive philanthropic efforts are not likely to significantly affect her net worth. However, her philanthropic activities are an important part of her overall financial landscape.
Several of her films have focused on social justice issues, such as Freedom Writers and Ordinary Angels. In the former, Swank portrays real-life teacher Erin Gruwell who struggles to connect with her students in a Los Angeles high school that has been plagued by gang violence and racial tensions since the L.A. riots two years earlier.
In Ordinary Angels, Swank plays a hairdresser who rallies an entire town to help a family save their young daughter’s life by raising money for a liver transplant. The film, which was inspired by true events that took place in Louisville, Kentucky in 1994, is a moving and inspiring story of perseverance and love. Swank also starred in the television series Alaska Daily, which focused on the murders of indigenous women in the state. She and her husband, businessman Philip Schneider, share a passion for animal rights and are known to foster and adopt dogs.
Current Projects
Hilary Swank has a number of projects in television and films. The Oscar winner is starring in a movie called Ordinary Angels, which is based on a true story. The film follows hairdresser Sharon, who is determined to help a widower with two children, one of whom is in need of a liver transplant. “It’s like she sees a mission to save this little girl, and she just starts moving mountains,” Lionsgate says in a description of the movie.
The film stars Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson. It’s directed by the director of Freedom Writers, Richard LaGravenese. Ordinary Angels is set to be released in October this year. The movie will take on the topic of family, faith and redemption, a genre that Hollywood seems to love in recent years.
Hilary is also a part of the new Netflix series Spark, which premiered this month. The actress plays reporter Marissa Bennings, whose son is murdered and she seeks answers in the town of Albany. The series is written by Peter Nowalk, who also wrote the film Vertigo, a classic thriller from Alfred Hitchcock. Meryl Streep has won the Academy Award for Best Actress 21 times, but it was Swank’s performance as Brandon Teena in Boys Don’t Cry and Maggie Fitzgerald in Million Dollar Baby that really catapulted her into stardom.