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Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank

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The Affair of the Necklace ... Jeanne de la Motte-Valois knows what she wants. She also knows how to get it -... more info $14.95was $17.99 Buy Now

Sherlock Holmes and the Shadow... A young prostitute is brutally murdered by a psychopathic killer, while a group... more info $15.95was $19.95 Buy Now

Million Dollar Baby ... A well-respected trainer who is estranged from his daughter reluctantly agrees... more info $7.46was $5.98 Buy Now

PS I Love You ... Wide Screen/Blu Ray. Rated PG-13. Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank) is beautiful,... more info $11.95was $19.98 Buy Now

Mary and Martha ... From director Phillip Noyce (Dead Calm, Patriot Games) and writer Richard Curtis... more info $16.95was $19.98 Buy Now

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Also Known As: Hilary Ann Swank Died:
Born: July 30, 1974 Cause of Death:
Birth Place: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA Profession: actor
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Biography CLOSE THE FULL BIOGRAPHY

Actress Hilary Swank had her major breakthrough when she earned the Academy Award for her gripping performance in the indie darling "Boys Don't Cry" (1999). Swank followed this with quality turns in Sam Raimi's supernatural thriller "The Gift" (2000), the period romantic drama "The Affair of the Necklace" (2001) and Christopher Nolan's excellent crime thriller "Insomnia" (2002). She went on to find her star-making niche playing steely women who succeeded against the odds, best exemplified by her performance as a female boxer who meets a tragic end in Clint Eastwood's moody drama "Million Dollar Baby" (2004), a role that earned her a second Oscar. From there, she etched powerful performances as real-life women such as American suffragist Alice Paul in "Iron Jawed Angels" (HBO, 2004), unorthodox teacher Erin Gruwell in "Freedom Writers" (2007) and groundbreaking aviatrix Amelia Earhart in "Amelia" (2009). Swank proved herself one of Hollywood's more versatile actresses, one who drew upon her working-class roots to deliver one informed performance after another.

Actress Hilary Swank had her major breakthrough when she earned the Academy Award for her gripping performance in the indie darling "Boys Don't Cry" (1999). Swank followed this with quality turns in Sam Raimi's supernatural thriller "The Gift" (2000), the period romantic drama "The Affair of the Necklace" (2001) and Christopher Nolan's excellent crime thriller "Insomnia" (2002). She went on to find her star-making niche playing steely women who succeeded against the odds, best exemplified by her performance as a female boxer who meets a tragic end in Clint Eastwood's moody drama "Million Dollar Baby" (2004), a role that earned her a second Oscar. From there, she etched powerful performances as real-life women such as American suffragist Alice Paul in "Iron Jawed Angels" (HBO, 2004), unorthodox teacher Erin Gruwell in "Freedom Writers" (2007) and groundbreaking aviatrix Amelia Earhart in "Amelia" (2009). Swank proved herself one of Hollywood's more versatile actresses, one who drew upon her working-class roots to deliver one informed performance after another.

Filmographyclose complete filmography

CAST: (feature film)

1.
 I Am Mother (2019)
2.
 What They Had (2018)
3.
 Spark: A Space Tail (2017)
4.
 Logan Lucky (2017)
5.
 Homesman, The (2014)
6.
 You're Not You (2014)
7.
 Mary & Martha (2013)
8.
 New Year's Eve (2011)
9.
 Resident, The (2011)
10.
 Conviction (2010)
VIEW THE FULL FILMOGRAPHY

Milestones close milestones

2001:
Appeared as a French noblewoman in "The Affair of the Necklace"
2007:
Co-starred as a widow whose life is turned upside down by letters left behind by her husband in "P.S. I Love You"
2000:
Cast in the Sam Raimi directed "The Gift"
2003:
Co-starred as Major Beck Childs in the sci-fi thriller "The Core"
2007:
Played professor Katherine Winter in religion-themed horror film "The Reaping"
2009:
Portrayed Amelia Earhart in Mira Nair's biopic "Amelia"; also co-executive produced
2004:
Starred opposite Anjelica Huston and Frances O'Connor in the HBO movie "Iron Jawed Angels," about the stuggle for women's right to vote; received Golden Globe and SAG nominations for Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
2002:
Co-starred with Al Pacino in the American version of "Insomnia"
1992:
Had a regular role on ABC's comedy series "Camp Wilder"
1997:
Was regular on the short-lived ABC series "Leaving L.A."
1992:
Portrayed Kimberly, Kristy Swanson's Valley Girl pal, in the feature "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
2011:
Was cast in the Gary Marshall-helmed ensemble romantic comedy "New Year's Eve"
1983:
Began acting career as Mowgli in a school play of "The Jungle Book"
2006:
Was cast as Josh Hartnett's love interest in "The Black Dahlia," Brian De Palma's adaptation of James Ellroy's classic noir novel
1997:
Joined the cast of "Beverly Hills, 90210" (Fox) as Carly Reynolds, a single mother who becomes a love interest for Steve Sanders (Ian Ziering)
1994:
Played lead in the sequel "The Next Karate Kid"
2007:
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
1991:
Landed her first job as a guest star on an episode of the syndicated series "Harry and the Hendersons"
1991:
Played recurring roles on ABC's "Growing Pains" and CBS' "Evening Shade"
2004:
Co-starred with Clint Eastwood in "Million Dollar Baby" as a woman determined to establish herself as a boxer
1999:
Gave an Oscar winning performance as Teena Brandon, a young woman who opted to live as a man and was brutally raped and murdered when it was discovered she was born female, in "Boys Don't Cry"
2007:
Starred as an inspiring teacher in the drama "Freedom Writers"
2010:
Portrayed Betty Anne Waters, an unemployed single mother who spent a decade earning a law degree so she could represent her brother, in "Conviction"
2014:
Co-starred with Emmy Rossum and Josh Duhamel in the drama "You're Not You"
2017:
Was featured in Steven Soderbergh crime comedy "Logan Lucky"
2018:
Co-starred with Michael Shannon in the drama "What They Had"
VIEW ALL MILESTONES

Education

Sehome High School: Bellingham, Washington -
South Pasadena High School: South Pasadena, California -
Santa Monica City College: Santa Monica, California -

Notes

When asked if she had ever done martial arts before "The Next Karate Kid": "No, never. I had flexibility in gymnastics, and I took instruction and worked hard, hours and hours a day. I wanted to do all my stunts." And did she? "Oh, God, I've got plenty of bruises. Yes!"---Hilary Swank in Parade Magazine, August 7, 1994.

"It took about four weeks for me to detox from masculinity... I felt like I had lost every ounce of my femininity and I honestly didn't know if I'd ever get it back."---Swank on playing Brandon in "Boy's Don't Cry", quoted in Talk, October 1999.

"I figured out why it was so easy. I had so much fear and anxiety about it, but when we did it, it was so professional, it didn't live up to my fear. It was just make-believe."---Hilary Swank, on the brutal rape scene in "Boy's Don't Cry", to Stacy D'Erasmo of Out, October 1999.

"I hope ['Boys Don't Cry'] can help people be inspired to be themselves and to live their dream. And live every single moment fully."---Hilary Swank quoted in USA Today, October 21, 1999.

Swank was named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People for 2004

"The second after I won the Academy Award [for 1999's Boys Don't Cry], I felt inhibited, like I was being watched under a microscope, she says. "People weren't necessarily putting that on me so much as I was putting that on myself. It took a while before I could relax and enjoy acting again."---Swank quoted in Premiere, December 2004/January 2005.

Companions close complete companion listing

husband:
Chad Lowe. Actor. Met c. 1992; married on October 2, 1997; worked together on feature "Quiet Days in Hollywood" (shown at 1997 Cannes Festival).

Family close complete family listing

father:
Stephen Swank. Was officer in the National Guard; separated from Swank's mother c. 1990.
mother:
Judy Swank. Secretary. Accompanied daughter to L.A. after separating from husband c. 1990.
brother:
Dan Swank. Businessman. Born c. 1966; owns marketing company in Edmonds, Washington.

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