Hilary Swank Biography
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Hilary Swank was born on July 30, 1974
in Lincoln, Nebraska to Judy Swank.
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Starred in her first play at age nine
as Mowgli in a production of Disney’s The Jungle Book.
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She grew up and attended school in
Bellingham, Washington, until 1990, when she moved with her mother
to Los Angeles and attended South Pasadena High School. She also
attended Santa Monica City College.
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She was athletically gifted and while
in High School, she competed in the Junior Olympics and the
Washington State Swimming Championships. She ranked 5th
in the state for gymnastics.
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Being in Los Angeles, she was exposed
to the acting scene and began pursuing a career as an actress. She
received her first TV role as Danielle on ABC’s TGIF in 1990,
and also had some small appearances on other TV shows such as
Harry and the Hendersons, Growing Pains and Evening
Shade over the next two years. She landed her first TV role as
Kimberly Hannah in Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1992, however,
it was a made for TV movie, Camp Wilder, that first gave her
some recognition (she was nominated for the Young Artist Award for
Best Young Actress in a New Television Series for that role).
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In 1994, she received her first leading
role as Julie Pierce in The Next Karate Kid. Although she
possessed a lot more athletic ability than Ralph Maccio, this sequel
did not do as well in the box office. However, Hollywood and fans
began to take notice of her.
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During the mid to late 1990’s she
appeared on TV and in the movies, including a two year stint on
Beverly Hills, 90210. However, her love life flourished, and she
married Chad Lowe (brother of Rob Lowe) in September of 1997.
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Her big break came in 1999, with the
release of the movie Boys Don’t Cry. Her performance was
critically acclaimed and won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a
Leading Role. Some of the other awards she has won include: TFCA
Award for Best Performance, Female; Stockholm Film Festival Award
for Best Actress; SEFCA Award for Best Actress; SFFCC Award for Best
Actress; NYFCC Award for Best Actress; NBR Award for Breakthrough
Performance – Female; MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Female
Performance; LAFCA Award for Best Actress; Independent Spirit Award
for Best Female Lead; Golden Satellite Award for Best Performance by
an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama; Golden Globe Award for Best
Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama; Chicago Int’l
Film Festival’s Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress; and the BFCA
Award for Best Actress. In 2000 she was also awarded the ShoWest
Female Star of Tomorrow.
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Over the next few years she appeared
in several other movies such as The Gift (nominated for the
Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress), Insomnia
(nominated for Best Actress) and The Core. In 2004, she had
another amazing year. First, she was superb in the made for TV
movie, Iron Jawed Angels, that had her nominated for the
Screen Actor’s Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female
Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries and the Golden Globe Award
for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion
Picture Made for Television. Next, the movie Million Dollar Baby
was released earning her second Academy Award for Best
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and winning the: Screen
Actor’s Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in
a Leading Role; PFCS Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a
Leading Role; NSFC Award for Best Actress; Golden Satellite Award
for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama; Golden Globe Award for
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama; and the
BFCA Award for Best Actress
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Hobbies and Interests: Outdoor
activities, skiing, sky diving and white water rafting.
Biography by Ian Ripley,
PopStarsPlus.com, Sr. Staff Writer
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