Hilary Ann Swank was born on July 30, 1974, in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Growing up, Swank’s mother worked as a secretary while dancing on the side. Her father served as a Chief Master Sergeant in the Oregon Air National Guard, and later found career in sales.
Swank was incredibly athletic at a young age, competing in the Junior Olympics, swimming state championships, and ranked top-ten in Washington state for gymnastics.
Swank’s mother moved her to Los Angeles at the age of 15 in pursuit of an acting career, where the two lived in her mother’s vehicle until finding a home.
Swank’s first role in film came in 1992, in which Swank played a supporting role in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
Swank earned her first lead role in “The Next Karate Kid,” which hit theaters in 1994.
Following her 1999 performance as Brandon Teena in “Boys Don’t Cry,” Swank earned an Academy Award for Best Actress, and was widely praised for her performance in the film.
Honorably, Swank pulled away from film for three years in order to spend time alongside her father as he recovered from a lung transplant.
In 2018 Swank married Philip Schneider, a social venture entrepreneur, after dating for roughly two years.
In 2023, Swank revealed that she had birthed twins Ohma and Aya, a son and daughter.
