Hilary Swank (born July 30, 1974) is an American actress and film producer. She played Julie Pierce in The Next Karate Kid.
Biography[]
Swank was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. She made her film debut in 1992 with the movie Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
She then had her breakthrough for starring as Julie Pierce in The Next Karate Kid, the fourth installment of The Karate Kid franchise, and as Carly Reynolds on the eighth season of Beverly Hills, 90210.
Swank came to international recognition for her performances as Brandon Teena, in Kimberly Peirce's Don't Cry, and as Maggie Fitzgerald, an aspiring boxer, in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. Both performances earned her widespread critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards for Best Actress. She was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005.
Swank later ventured into producing with the films Amelia, Conviction, You're Not You, and What They Had, in all of which she also starred. Her other notable films include the television film Iron Jawed Angels and the feature films The Black Dahlia, Freedom Writers, The Resident, The Homesman, Logan Lucky, The Hunt, and Fatale.
In 2022, she starred in the television drama series Alaska Daily.
Personal Life[]
Swank met actor Chad Lowe. They were married in 1997. They have announced their intention to divorce in 2006, which was finalized in 2007.
In 2018, Swank married entrepreneur Philip Schneider after two years of dating. On October 5, 2022, she announced that she and her husband were expecting twins. On April 10, 2023, she announced that she had welcomed her twins, a son and a daughter.