Growing up in a trailer park, this actress went against all odds to become one of the most respected and celebrated actresses in the business. Today, she is a two-time Academy Award winner, but her journey was far from easy.
This star’s life began in a small town, but she, along with her mother, Judy, moved to California and risked homelessness while she auditioned. But even after finding fame, her life wasn’t easy. She took a break from her career, found love after several failed relationships, and lost loved ones. Now her life is full of joy.
Growing Up
This actress’s early years were spent in Bellingham, Washington, where she lived in a trailer park. She often reflects on how some of her classmates were told not to associate with her because of where she came from.
“Yeah, I don’t know – they didn’t want their kids playing with me. I don’t know. I know it’s stupid. It’s so silly,” she said in an interview with CBS News.
However, she wasn’t discouraged by the prejudice she faced. Instead, it fueled her determination to succeed. In fact, as she returned to her hometown years later, she encountered those same classmates who now claimed they had always believed in her success. She told them candidly, “No, you didn’t.”
Growing up in these circumstances, the actress found solace in performing. Eventually, she also realized that she would have to be strong to achieve her dream of becoming an actress.
“I was nine years old when one of my teachers had us write a skit and perform it in front of the class. That was my moment of, ‘My gosh, I love this,’” she recalled while talking to The Independent. In a report card, one teacher encouraged her to participate in school plays.
Although this star was also involved in swimming and gymnastics during her childhood, by the time she was 15, she had made up her mind that acting was her true calling.
That same year, she left high school and moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream. Although she eventually made it, being a high school dropout wasn’t something she was proud to reveal. Many people didn’t want her to stop her studies.
“I had some teachers that I still think of fondly and were amazing to me. But I had other teachers who said, ‘You know what? This dream of yours is a hobby,’” she said. However, the only encouragement that really mattered was her mother’s.
With her father, Stephen, often absent due to his service in the Air National Guard and later his work as a traveling salesman, this future star had only her mother, Judy, to rely on.
Her brother and only sibling, Daniel, had left their home in his teens, so it would soon be just her and her mother against the world. Judy was her greatest supporter.
“My mom said to me that I could do anything I wanted in life. As long as I worked hard enough,” the actress revealed. With that passion, they both started a hard journey to Hollywood.
Town & Becoming Homeless
This star was only 15 ½ years old when her parents got divorced. With the actress’ dream in mind, her mother packed their belongings and drove them to California with just $75.
They arrived in Los Angeles with no place to stay and had to live out of their old car for a short time. The star views this period as an adventure rather than a hardship. “For me, it was a dream come true. I was going to California to live my dream,” she said on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Fortunately, she and her mother weren’t homeless for long. They were eventually able to stay at a friend’s house, but the situation was far from ideal.
The house was empty, with no furniture, and they only had air mattresses. Additionally, they had to leave every morning, so buyers could see the place as the friend was selling the property. But this only brought this future star closer to her goal.
Turning into an Actress
Those early years in Los Angeles were marked by perseverance and rejection. “It was nine years of really hitting the pavement,” she said. Auditioning multiple times a day, she would often change outfits in the trunk of her car to fit the different roles she was auditioning for.
Unfortunately, she was often turned down because of her appearance. “And I think that was one of the reasons why – I didn’t realize consciously I was doing it, but I think I was looking for roles that weren’t about appearance, that they were really about people,” this star admitted. Finally, her breakout role was in 1994 with “The Next Karate Kid.”
Later, she went on to play small parts in TV shows and movies like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” But, at 23, she got a chance to star on “Beverly Hills 90210.”
While the part was small, it was a big deal. However, her time on the show was brief. She was fired, and this was the first time she considered quitting. “I thought if I’m not a good enough actor for 90210, maybe I should pack it in,” she confessed.
However, this setback led to a major turning point in her career. With her contract on the show over, she was free to take on other roles.
This led to her iconic performance in “Boys Don’t Cry” in 1999, where she played Brandon Teena, a transgender man whose tragic story captivated audiences. This role earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, a significant achievement for a young actress just starting out.
Surprisingly, she was only paid $3,000 for the project. “I had an Academy Award, and I didn’t have health insurance,” she laughed. “The life of an actor.”
Earning Her Hollywood Place
This actress is the talented Hilary Swank. After “Boys Don’t Cry,” she starred in several films, building her resume and earning a great reputation. In 2004, she appeared in “Million Dollar Baby,” alongside Clint Eastwood. This role earned her a second Academy Award for Best Actress.
Swank’s success continued with roles in films like “The Black Dahlia” in 2006 and “Freedom Writers” in 2007. Yet, despite earning a huge name for herself in Hollywood, she remained grounded.
She often rode the underground metro in New York City and shared that her humble upbringing has kept her from feeling the need for material wealth. “I use the subway all the time. It’s my form of transportation. It’s quick, inexpensive, and a great way for me to study people,” she said.
Coming Back from an Important Break
During the mid-2010s, the actress took a step back from her career, although she is listed in several films, according to her IMDb page. This is because she was caring for her father who had undergone a life-saving lung transplant.
In a 2018 interview with Stephen Colbert, Swank opened up about the decision to take time off. “They had given him, you know, a short time to live if he didn’t get a lung transplant,” she explained. “And thankfully, he got one, and he’s alive and thriving and well.”
The actress shared in 2015 that she had committed to prioritize spending time with her family and loved ones. Therefore, she dedicated herself to being by her father’s side during the challenging recovery period, taking three years off to help him through it.
The break allowed her to deepen their bond. “It was wonderful… but now he’s great, and we worked, and we both really grew from it,” she reflected during a segment on “Good Morning America” a few days after talking to Colbert.
Meanwhile, 2018 was an important year for the actress for another reason: she settled down again.
Finding Love at Last
Swank’s personal life, much like her career, has been a series of transformations. After her marriage to actor Chad Lowe in 1997, which ended in divorce in 2007, she had a series of relationships that were publicly scrutinized.
She dated agent John Campisi from 2007 until May 2012, followed by a shorter relationship with former tennis pro Laurent Fleury from December 2012 to January 2015. However, it wasn’t until 2016 that the actress met someone who would change her life in a deeper way.
Swank met Philip Schneider on a blind date, set up by mutual friends Misha Collins and his wife, Vicki, and another close friend named Jean. Their first date was special because they quickly realized they had something significant.
Just a year and a half later, Schneider proposed during a romantic trip to Colorado. “He sweetly made sure my dogs were nearby so they could bear witness,” she said.
The couple married on August 18, 2018, at the Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel, California. Their wedding took place amidst 800-year-old redwood trees in a private community surrounded by nature.
This location was particularly meaningful for Swank, as it allowed her father, who could no longer travel, to be present for the wedding. Sadly, he passed away in October 2021.
At the time, the actress shared an emotional message on social media. “I grew incredibly close to him during this time, deepening our relationship and savoring every moment we had together,” she wrote. “He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don’t miss him [sic].”
Swank also wrote that the experience brought her a sense of peace and clarity, allowing her to forgive and overcome obstacles. Despite the loss, this gave her a new understanding of life, love, and what truly matters, which would help her in a new chapter.
Living for Her Children
In 2023, just a few months before she turned 49, Swank welcomed boy-girl twins with her husband, Schneider. In early 2024, the actress sat down with Jimmy Fallon to talk about her new life as a mother.
“It is the best in the whole wide world,” she said. “It’s more joy and more fun and more exhausting. It’s more everything than I ever thought it would be. It’s more glorious. It’s the most extraordinary thing.”
Now, at 50, Hilary Swank lives in Colorado, in a mountain house with many horses, and has learned what’s important in life and that hard work can make your dreams come true.
She also shares her life on social media often. As a mother and a Hollywood icon, her story can inspire anyone, and her movies will continue to entertain people around the world for years to come.
