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Hilary Swank - Biography |
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Hilary Ann Swank (born July 30,
1974) is an American actress. Her Hollywood film career began with a small
part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) and then a major part in The Next
Karate Kid (1994), where she played Julie Pierce, the first female protégé
of sensei Mr. Miyagi. She has become known for her two Academy
Award-winning performances: first as Brandon Teena, a transgender man
(FTM) in the movie Boys Don't Cry (1999), and a struggling
waitress-turned-boxer, Maggie Fitzgerald, in Million Dollar Baby (2004).
Swank was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the daughter of Judy (née Clough), a
secretary and dancer, and Stephen Swank, who was an officer in the Air
National Guard and later a traveling salesman. She has a brother, Dan.
Many of her family members hail from Ringgold County, Iowa. Swank came
from humble beginnings, particularly as a child growing up in a trailer
park near Lake Samish in Bellingham, Washington, to which she moved at age
six, after having lived in Spokane, Washington. Swank has described her
younger self as an "outsider" who felt that she belonged "only when
[reading] a book or [seeing] a movie, and could get involved with a
character," and was thus inspired to become an actress.
When Swank was nine years old, she made her first appearance on stage
starring in The Jungle Book. She became involved in school and community
theater programs, including those of the Bellingham Theatre Guild. She
went to Sehome High School in Bellingham until she was sixteen. Swank also
competed in the Junior Olympics and the Washington state championships in
swimming; she ranked fifth in the state in all-around gymnastics (which
would come in handy when starring in The Next Karate Kid (1994) years
later). Swank's parents separated when she was thirteen, and her mother,
supportive of her daughter's desire to act, moved to Los Angeles, where
they lived out of their car until Swank's mother saved enough money to
rent an apartment. Swank has described her mother as the inspiration for
her acting career and her life. In California, Swank enrolled in South
Pasadena High School (although she later dropped out of school) and
started acting professionally. She helped pay the rent with the money she
earned appearing in television programs such as Evening Shade and Growing
Pains.
The Next Karate Kid (1994) paired Swank with Pat Morita. It is the fourth
and final movie in the Karate Kid series. In September 1997, Swank was
cast as single mother Carly Reynolds on Beverly Hills, 90210. She was
initially promised it would be a two-year role, but saw her character
written out after 16 episodes in January 1998. Swank later said that she
was devastated at being cut from the show, thinking, "If I'm not good
enough for 90210, I'm not good enough for anything."
As it turned out, the firing was a lucky break for Swank, freeing her to
audition for the role of Brandon Teena in Boys Don't Cry. Swank reduced
her body fat to seven percent in preparation for the role. Many critics
hailed hers as the best female performance of 1999; the performance of her
co-star, Chloë Sevigny, was singled out as well. Swank's work ultimately
won her the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Actress. She subsequently won
the Best Actress Oscar and another Golden Globe for playing a boxer in
Clint Eastwood's 2004 Oscar-winning film Million Dollar Baby, a role for
which she underwent training in the ring and gained 19 pounds of muscle.
Swank's success meant that she had joined the ranks of Vivien Leigh, Helen
Hayes, Sally Field, and Luise Rainer as the only actresses to have been
nominated for Academy Awards twice and win both times. After winning her
second Oscar, she said, "I don't know what I did in this life to deserve
this. I'm just a girl from a trailer park who had a dream." Swank had
earned only $75 per day for her work on Boys Don't Cry, culminating in a
total of $3,000. Her earnings were so low, that (according to an anecdote
on 60 Minutes) she had not even earned enough to qualify for health
insurance.
Swank signed a three-year contract as spokesperson for Guerlain (a women's
fragrance). In 2007, Swank starred in and executive produced Freedom
Writers, a drama about a real-life teacher who inspired a California high
school class. Many reviews of Swank's performance were positive, with one
critic noting that she "brings credibility" to the role, and another
stating that her performance reaches a "singular lack of artifice,
stripping herself back to the bare essentials".
Swank starred in The Reaping, a horror film released on April 5, 2007, in
which she plays a debunker of religious phenomena. Swank convinced the
producers to move the film's setting from New England to the Deep South,
and the movie was being filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when Hurricane
Katrina struck. Swank also appeared in the romantic comedy P.S. I Love You
alongside Gerard Butler, an actor for whom she has much praise. It was
released at the end of 2007.
Swank received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 8, 2007.
Hers was the 2,325th star presented.
Variety online reported in February 2008, that Swank would be portraying
Amelia Earhart, and be co-executive producer for a biopic titled Amelia.
Filming occurred in the summer of 2008 in a number of international
locations. Swank is also attached to star in the Hollywood remake version
of Intimate Strangers. In addition, it was reported that Swank would be a
lead role and producer for an film adaptation of the John Marks novel
Fangland, directed by John Carpenter.
Swank has said that she is "an actor, not a celebrity" and has described
herself as a "homebody." Swank considers herself a spiritual person,
though not a member of an organized religion. She has said that she is
"athletically inclined" and that she "love sports."
Swank developed potential health problems, including elevated mercury
levels in her body, through certain preparations for her roles, including
weight gain and loss for Boys Don't Cry and The Black Dahlia. She has
stated that she would "do what [she] need[s] to make [the role] believable
and to make it work" and that her "battle scars are a reminder that you're
alive and human and that you bleed." In 2007, Swank noted that she
"feel[s] like in the last couple of years, I’ve really come into my own
and a lot of that has come from figuring out who I really am and what I
want in life."
Swank married actor Chad Lowe on September 28, 1997. The two met in 1992,
on the set of Quiet Days in Hollywood, a direct-to-video film. Swank
infamously forgot to thank Lowe during her acceptance speech after winning
her first Oscar in 2000, and she spent nearly every public appearance
afterward making up for it. Upon winning her second Oscar in 2005, Lowe
was the first person she thanked. However, in January 2006, the couple
separated. In subsequent interviews, Swank expressed hope that they could
reconcile, but they announced in May 2006 that they were divorcing. In
December 2006, Swank confirmed that she was dating John Campisi, her
agent. |
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Hilary Swank - Personal Quotes |
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[2005 Academy Awards
acceptance speech for Best Actress in a Leading Role] "I don't know
what I did in this life to deserve all this. I'm just a girl from a
trailer park who had a dream. I never thought this would ever
happen, let alone be nominated. And a working actor, for that
matter. And now, this. I thank the Academy. I'm eternally grateful
for this great honor. I would also like to acknowledge my fellow
nominees, Annette, Imelda, Kate, and Catalina, your work inspires me
beyond words. I am going to start by thanking my husband because I'd
like to think I learned from past mistakes. Chad, you're my
everything. Thank you for your support. It means the world. I would
never be standing here if it weren't for the -- each and every one
of the brilliant people I had surrounding me, supporting me and
believing in me. Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, thank you for sending
me this most marvelous script. You will never know how grateful I
am. Paul Haggis, for writing this beautiful script. Our other
producers extraordinaire: Albert S. Ruddy (Al Ruddy), Clint, Rob
Lorenz (Robert Lorenz). Phyllis Huffman, our casting director. My
trainers, Grant Roberts and Hector Roca, you pushed me further than
I ever thought I could push myself up to that last pound, actually
to that last ounce. I thank you. My sparring partners who were so
patient. And everyone at Gleason's. Well, the ever-amazing Morgan
Freeman. Tom Stern, our cinematographer, you are brilliant. Joel
Cox, our editor, you're amazing. You know? I'm going to thank my mom
for believing in me from the beginning. My dad, for his support. My
agents, Josh Lieberman, Tony Lipp, Kelly Tiffan, John Campisi. Jason
Weinberg, my manager (You can't do that. I haven't gotten to Clint
yet! I saved him for the end) Karl Austen (Karl R. Austen), Jeff
Bernstein, my lawyers. And then Clint. Clint Eastwood. Thank you for
allowing me to go on this journey with you. Thank you for believing
in me. You're my "macushla" Thank you. Warner brothers, as well. And
you know what? Wait! Troy Nankin, my best friend and publicist.
Thank you!"
"My most annoying question is 'Hilary, are you ever going to play a
pretty girl?'" quoted in Newsweek.
"I think when you're playing a real character you have an extra
responsibility to do it really right, so because of that, I do
extensive research. I really try and figure out the person inside
and out. I read the lines, but I read in-between the lines and try
and find the qualities in that person that makes them human and I
hopefully try and bring that out in what I do." - on playing Annie
Sullivan
"I cut coupons, love specials and believe in buying toilet paper and
toothpaste in bulk. It's just who I am." quoted in Woman's World -
7-19-05
"I've realized that as an actor you have to just keep working really
hard and studying your craft. I think I thought maybe things would
be easier after the first Academy Award, that I would get better job
opportunities, but then you really realize that there's not a whole
lot of great quality out there, for women especially. It's not just
something that women say; it's the truth. Because of that I had to
be specific about not just doing something that I didn't want to do,
but I also needed to pay my bills. I didn't do job after job after
job. I would do a job and then still keep working on acting, whether
it would be reading a play - something that's inspiring - with a
bunch of actors, hearing it, studying, reading books about acting,
and watching actors. I think it's an ever-evolving craft. And I
think it's something that you always need to work at." - On working
as an actor
"I have to say that I didn't ever really see it as rejection, per
se, and I don't know why. I guess if I saw it as rejection, then I
would allow myself time to focus on something that seemed negative,
instead of realizing, "I have an audition tomorrow," and I was
auditioning a lot, and, "If I focus on why I didn't get that, then
I'm not going to be able to be present and work on this." At that
time it was easier for me to let go of the past and just move on.
Although there were so many times when it didn't mean I didn't get
depressed if I didn't get something that I really wanted. I mean,
I'm human, and I absolutely would get bummed out, especially if I
worked really hard on something, and it came right down to me and
someone else. But I'd try to get feedback. Was there something that
I could have done differently? Was it something I can work on the
future for the next job? And try to gain a positive from it? And
sometimes it wasn't anything I'd done. It was just the blue-eyed
girl looked better with the brown-eyed boy. You can't change that;
you can't control that." - On getting rejected for roles
"You need to study and work on your craft. If you're not prepared
when that dream audition comes, you are not going to get that
opportunity. To me, the definition of success is when opportunity
meets preparation. So I really recommend that actors always work on
their craft and their skills. Obviously you can't make a living
doing that, but you can get a lot of joy from it and learn and be
inspired by the people you're working with and by your teachers and
by the material. As long as you're still being inspired by it,
you're going to find joy. Then hopefully the role will come along. I
just want every actor to know to keep chipping away at it." - On
giving advice to beginning actors.
"At the beginning, it's not like I didn't like boxing. I just didn't
think about boxing, I didn't even really have an opinion about it.
And when I heard about it, I just thought, 'What is the thing about
hitting someone and wanting to get hit?' The whole thing eluded me,
but then, you know what? Like anything else in life, when you have
to dive into something deeper, you gain respect for it because you
learn about it in different ways than you ever would expect. What I
realized when I learned more about boxing is that it is so much more
than just the physical aspect of it. Obviously the physical aspect
of it is huge, but it is such an unbelievably mental challenge.
There's such an art to boxing, it's like a great game of chess. When
you're in the ring, you're one with your opponent. Everything goes
silent and it's you and that person. You hear your breath. You hear
the other person. And as you try to figure out their strength and
weakness, you're learning about your own strength and weaknesses.
And each person that you spar or fight with, their strength and
weakness brings out new strength and weakness in yourself. And the
second you think, 'I have this person,' and get cocky, you can lose
and you usually do. It's a great analogy to life. You have to remain
humble and have respect for the other person." - On Boxing
"As in life, your mind can be the hugest obstacle or tool, depending
on how you choose to use it. And I find that a lot of people who are
successful in life say, "I can do this, and I will do this." Their
minds don't get in their way; whereas people who wake up and say,
"Oh, I can't," their mind is in their way, and it's going to stop
them from doing what they need to do to achieve their dream." - On
trying to achieve your goals.
"I think that if you can grow together, you'll stay together. The
most important qualities in making a relationship work are a blend
of three ingredients: communication, respect and believing in
another person. I've been with my husband for over twelve years.
That's what made our relationship work. We have a mutual respect,
the communication is key and believing in one another makes you feel
like you can do anything!" - On what's important in a relationship. |
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Hilary Swank - Filmography |
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The Resident (2010) .... Dr.
Juliet Dermer
Betty Anne Waters (2010) .... Betty Anne Waters
Amelia (2009) .... Amelia Earhart
Birds of America (2008) .... Laura
P.S. I Love You (2007) .... Holly
The Reaping (2007) .... Katherine
Freedom Writers (2007) .... Erin Gruwell
The Black Dahlia (2006) .... Madeleine Linscott
... aka Black Dahlia (Germany)
... aka Die schwarze Dahlie (Germany: TV title)
Million Dollar Baby (2004) .... Maggie Fitzgerald
Red Dust (2004) .... Sarah Barcant
Iron Jawed Angels (2004) (TV) .... Alice Paul
11:14 (2003) .... Buzzy
The Core (2003) .... Maj. Rebecca Childs
... aka Core (USA: poster title)
The Space Between (2002)
Insomnia (2002/I) .... Detective Ellie Burr
The Affair of the Necklace (2001) .... Jeanne St. Remy de Valois
The Gift (2000) .... Valerie Barksdale
The Audition (2000)
Boys Don't Cry (1999) .... Brandon Teena
"Beverly Hills, 90210" .... Carly Reynolds (16 episodes, 1997-1998)
- The Elephant's Father (1998) TV Episode .... Carly Reynolds
- Illegal Tender (1998) TV Episode .... Carly Reynolds
- Ready or Not (1998) TV Episode .... Carly Reynolds
- Santa Knows (1997) TV Episode .... Carly Reynolds
- Comic Relief (1997) TV Episode .... Carly Reynolds
(11 more)
Heartwood (1998) .... Sylvia Orsini
Quiet Days in Hollywood (1997) .... Lolita
... aka The Way We Are
"Leaving L.A." .... Tiffany Roebuck (6 episodes, 1997)
- Dead Elvis (1997) TV Episode .... Tiffany Roebuck
- Now? (1997) TV Episode .... Tiffany Roebuck
- The Black Widower (1997) TV Episode .... Tiffany Roebuck
- The Eyes of the City (1997) TV Episode .... Tiffany Roebuck
- Give Them Names (1997) TV Episode .... Tiffany Roebuck
(1 more)
The Sleepwalker Killing (1997) (TV) .... Lauren Schall
... aka Crimes of Passion: Sleepwalker (UK)
... aka From the Files of Unsolved Mysteries: The Sleepwalker
Killing
Dying to Belong (1997) (TV) .... Lisa Connors
Sometimes They Come Back... Again (1996) .... Michelle Porter
... aka Sometimes They Come Back 2 (USA)
Terror in the Family (1996) (TV) .... Deena Martin
Kounterfeit (1996) .... Colleen
The Next Karate Kid (1994) .... Julie Pierce
Cries Unheard: The Donna Yaklich Story (1994) (TV) .... Patty
... aka Victim of Rage
"Camp Wilder" .... Danielle (1 episode, 1992)
- See Spot Go (1992) TV Episode .... Danielle
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) .... Kimberly Hannah
"Growing Pains" .... Sasha Serotsky (2 episodes, 1991-1992)
- Menage a Luke (1992) TV Episode .... Sasha Serotsky
- There Must Be a Pony (1991) TV Episode .... Sasha Serotsky
"Evening Shade" .... Aimee #1 (2 episodes, 1991-1992)
- I Do, I Don't (1991) TV Episode .... Aimee #1
- The Road Trip (1991) TV Episode .... Aimee #1
"Harry and the Hendersons" (1 episode, 1991)
- Harry Goes Ape (1991) TV Episode
"ABC TGIF" (1990) TV Series .... Danielle |
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Hilary Swank - Related Links |
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Wikipedia: Hilary Swank
YouTube: Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank
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