Hilary Swank

Personal context

Summary

Hilary Swank is an actor and producer known for Boys Don’t Cry, Million Dollar Baby, Freedom Writers, and Alaska Daily, with roles often centered on resilience and people facing adversity. After Boys Don’t Cry, she served for years as a spokesperson for the Hetrick-Martin Institute and helped support its school for LGBTQ youth; she has also publicly supported same-sex marriage and said a trans actor would be better suited to play Brandon Teena if the film were made today. In 2025, she criticized the Trump administration’s effect on women’s and minorities’ rights. She has also received recognition for animal welfare advocacy.