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A Humble Background
When I meet Hilary Swank, she introduces herself by name, as if I don't know who she is. Then, as I juggle notebook and recorder, she jumps up and fetches my bag from where I'd set it a few yards away. Not exactly behavior one imagines from a two-time Oscar winner and one of Hollywood's most bankable leading ladies. It's more like what you'd expect from an average, everyday gal -- just what Swank was, not so long ago.Swank's story reads almost like a fairy tale. She grew up in a Bellingham, Washington, trailer park, the daughter of a salesman and secretary. Her parents separated when Swank was 12, and she learned early on to take care of herself. A natural performer, she spent many lonely afternoons dreaming of becoming an actress.
In 1989, when she was 15, Swank and her mom packed up their Oldsmobile Delta 88 and, with just $75, headed to Los Angeles. They lived in the car until a friend gave them a place to stay. Swank's mom used a pay phone to book her daughter for auditions. Three years later, Swank landed her first movie role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Steady work followed, but Swank, now 32, didn't attract much notice until 1999, when she portrayed Brandon Teena, a Nebraska woman who was murdered after trying to pass as a man, in the surprise indie hit Boys Don't Cry. Swank was paid just $3,000 for the part, but her earning potential exploded when the film landed her a Best Actress Oscar.
Swank shared her rise to fame with actor Chad Lowe, whom she married in 1997. The pair split early last year.
RD interviewed the actress on the eve of the release of her new movie, Freedom Writers. She talked about finding happiness, starting over and making dreams come true.
RD: As a child, were you aware of your family's financial struggles?
Swank: That's something I didn't recognize. I had a roof over my head and food; I didn't know that a trailer park was kind of a lower-income place.
RD: Were you ever treated differently because of where you lived?
Swank: The kids didn't think twice about it. The parents were the ones who didn't want me hanging out with their children. Now that I'm an adult, I realize how horrible and damaging that can be. I just can't imagine treating kids as if they're different because of where they live.
RD: When did you discover that acting was what you wanted to do?
Swank: I was nine. A teacher had us write a skit and perform it, and I knew that working off the reactions was something that made me come alive.
RD: Does it still give you a rush?
Swank: I love my job. I can't even call it work. Every time I get the opportunity to do it, I jump out of bed just saying, "How lucky am I?"
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