Hilary Swank was one of the biggest A-list actors in the late 90s and early 2000s. She worked hard to get to build an acting career and didn’t stop until she became a staple name in Hollywood.Despite her success, Swank has never been one to actively seek the spotlight. Unlike many other actors, she’s managed to keep her private life out of the public eye, leaving the media with only her good work to talk about. Since her major breakout role in the indie film Boys Don't Cry in 1999, Swank has gained 55 acting credits in multiple movies and TV shows.
Despite her early success, the two-time Oscar winner’s career seems to have gone downhill in the past years. It all started when Swank unexpectedly announced she would be taking a break from acting in 2020. In a recent interview, Swank shared the heartwarming reason why she decided to put her career on pause and move to Colorado.
Hilary Swank Started Acting At A Very Young Age
Swank started acting when she was only nine years old by starring in a stage production of The Jungle Book. After her stage debut, she started getting involved in school and community theater programs. It wasn’t until she was in high school that she started pursuing acting professionally.
Soon, she began landing small roles in TV shows such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Evening Shade, and Growing Pains. But her first big break came when she landed the lead in The Next Karate Kid in 1994.
In 1997, Swank got the role of Carly Reynolds on Beverly Hills, 90210. Although she was initially promised a two-year role, her character was written out of the show after only 16 episodes.
This led her to seriously question her career, but she decided to persevere and not even two years later, she landed a role in the indie film Boys Don’t Cry. Although Swank only got paid $3,000 for the movie, she went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.
Afterward, she went on to star in more movies, including The Gift, Million Dollar Baby, for which she won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, and The Black Dahlia. And since 2009, Swank ventured into producing her own films, including titles like Amelia, Conviction, You're Not You, and What They Had.
Fans were shocked, she announced she would be taking a break from acting for personal reasons. However, it seems that she’s ready to go back into acting. In 2020, she starred in two films (The Hunt, and Fatale), and, earlier this year, she landed the main role in the TV drama series, Alaska Daily.
Swank Surprised Everyone When She Decided To Take A Break From Acting To Become A Caregiver
In 2014, Swank unexpectedly announced she would take a hiatus from acting. The main reason Swank decided to take a step back from Hollywood was, so she could become the sole caregiver for her dad while he recovered from a lung transplant.
Although she had initially anticipated a year-long break, it ended up taking three years for her to get back to acting. Slowly but surely, Swank has been working on making her comeback.
In 2018, she started and produced the movie What They Had, and got the main role in the TV show Trust. In 2019, she starred in Netflix’s I Am Mother and did some voice acting for the animated series BoJack Horseman. In 2020, she got the main role in the TV series Away and two years later, she landed another main role for a Hulu show.
Swank Revealed Why She Moved To Colorado And What She Has Been Up To Since Her Acting Hiatus
During this short hiatus, Swank not only cared for her dad but also got the chance to explore other passions and interests. She started her own charity, The Hilaroo Foundation, which pairs abandoned animals with at-risk youth to help both parties heal and create meaningful connections. She also launched a sustainable athletics clothing brand, called Mission Statement.
In 2018, Swank married Philip Schneider, a social venture entrepreneur. Because of their love for nature, the couple decided to hold the ceremony at a cozy spot on Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel, California. Shortly after, the married couple moved to Colorado. In an interview for Health, Swank revealed why she moved so far from Hollywood:
Swank and her husband were in Iowa for the funeral of the actress’ grandmother when they decided to have an impromptu road trip to get back home. “We didn't own a car, so we bought a used car and started our drive back to Los Angeles. And that's when we stopped in Colorado. We were going to stay four or five nights, and we ended up staying for months.”
These days, the 48-year-old actress seems to be living her best life in Colorado, managing her comeback to Hollywood and spending all her free time in nature. And recently, Swank shared some exciting news: she's pregnant, with twins!
