Hilary Swank

Actor

Hilary Swank

Born July 30, 1974 in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA43 films

Hilary Ann Swank (born July 30, 1974) is an American actress and film producer. She first became known in 1992 for her role on the television series Camp Wilder and made her film debut with a minor role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). She then had her breakthrough for starring as Julie Pierce in The Next Karate Kid (1994), the fourth installment of The Karate Kid franchise, and as Carly Reynolds on the eighth season of Beverly Hills, 90210 (1997–1998).

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Swank came to international recognition for her performances as Brandon Teena, a transgender man, in Kimberly Peirce's Boys Don't Cry (1999), and as Maggie Fitzgerald, an aspiring boxer, in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby (2004). Both of her performances earned her critical acclaim, and she earned numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Critics' Choice Movie Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005.

Swank later ventured into producing with the films Amelia (2009), Conviction (2010), You're Not You (2014), and What They Had (2018), all of which she also starred in. Her other notable films include the television film Iron Jawed Angels (2004), and the feature films Freedom Writers (2007), Logan Lucky (2017), The Hunt (2020), and Fatale (2020).

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The best way into Hilary Swank's work
Million Dollar Baby posterFirst watchMillion Dollar Baby20048.0as Maggie FitzgeraldA leading role in one of the best-rated films of their career.Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life.View film

Essential films

Ranked by role, acclaim and reach
Freedom Writers poster7.9Freedom Writers2007P.S. I Love You poster7.2P.S. I Love You2007Boys Don't Cry poster7.4Boys Don't Cry1999You're Not You poster7.4You're Not You2014Ordinary Angels poster7.7Ordinary Angels2024The Hunt poster6.7The Hunt2020Conviction poster7.1Conviction2010Insomnia poster7.0Insomnia2002

Filmography

43 films as actor
  1. TBAN.A.R.
  2. 2024Ordinary AngelsSharon Stevens
  3. 2023The Good MotherMarissa Bennings
  4. 2020FataleDet. Valerie Quinlan
  5. 2020The HuntAthena
  6. 2019I Am MotherWoman
  7. 2018What They HadBridget
  8. 201855 StepsColette Hughes
  9. 2017Double Dutchess: Seeing Double
  10. 2017Logan LuckySpecial Agent Sarah Grayson
  11. 2016Spark: A Space TailThe Queen (voice)
  12. 2014You're Not YouKate
  13. 2014The HomesmanMary Bee Cuddy
  14. 2013Mary and MarthaMary
  15. 2011New Year's EveClaire Morgan
  16. 2011The ResidentJuliet Devereau
  17. 2010ConvictionBetty Anne Waters
  18. 2009AmeliaAmelia Earhart
  19. 2008Birds of AmericaLaura
  20. 2007P.S. I Love YouHolly
  21. 2007The ReapingKatherine
  22. 2007Freedom WritersErin Gruwell
  23. 2006The Black DahliaMadeleine Linscott
  24. 2004Million Dollar BabyMaggie Fitzgerald
  25. 200411:14Buzzy
  26. 2004Iron Jawed AngelsAlice Paul
  27. 2004Red DustSarah Barcant
  28. 2003The CoreMaj. Rebecca Childs
  29. 2002InsomniaEllie Burr
  30. 2001The Affair of the NecklaceJeanne St. Remy de Valois
  31. 2000The GiftValerie Barksdale
  32. 2000The Audition
  33. 1999Boys Don't CryBrandon Teena
  34. 1998HeartwoodSylvia Orsini
  35. 1997The Sleepwalker KillingLauren Schall
  36. 1997Dying to BelongLisa Connors
  37. 1997Quiet Days in HollywoodLolita
  38. 1996KounterfeitColleen
  39. 1996Sometimes They Come Back... AgainMichelle Porter
  40. 1996Terror in the FamilyDeena Marten
  41. 1994The Next Karate KidJulie Pierce
  42. 1994Cries Unheard: The Donna Yaklich StoryPatty Yaklich
  43. 1992Buffy the Vampire SlayerKimberly Hannah