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Hilary Ann Swank (born July 30, 1974 in
Bellingham, Washington) is an United
States|American actor|actress of Spain|Spanish and
Native American descent. She is best known for her
performances as troubled trans man Brandon Teena
in the movie Boys Don't Cry (movie)|Boys Don't Cry
and as a waitress-turned-Women's boxing|boxer in
Million Dollar Baby; both roles earned her Academy
Award for Best Actress|Academy Awards for Best
Actress.

Her film career in Hollywood began with a small
part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (movie)|Buffy the
Vampire Slayer (1992) and then a major part in The
Next Karate Kid (1994), where she played the title
character, the first female protégée of the (by
then) legendary professor played by Pat Morita. 

Swank also had a regular role on Beverly Hills
90210 during the show's eighth season, but was
fired in the middle of the season, three weeks
before landing the role in Boys Don't Cry. 

== Personal life ==
Swank makes no secret of her humble beginnings,
particularly as a child growing up near Lake
Samish in Bellingham, Washington.  After winning
her second Best Actress Oscar, she said:
:I don't know what I did in this life to deserve
this. I'm just a girl from a trailer park who had
a dream.

She decided to pursue acting by the age of 16,
dropping out of high school.  She was still 15
when her parents separated, and her mother,
supportive of her desire to act, moved the two of
them to California, living in their car at first. 
Their homelessness did not last long; she soon got
roles in television programs such as Evening Shade
and Growing Pains.

But even after winning her first Oscar, she was
reminded of her humble roots.  She had earned only
$75/day for her work on Boys Don't Cry, a total of
$3000
http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Exclusive/0,
4029,523215,00.html
http://www.sundaytribune.co.za/index.php?fSectionI
d=260&fArticleId=2433709; her earnings were so
low, that (according to an anecdote on 60 Minutes)
she hadn't earned enough to qualify for health
insurance. 

On January 15, 2005, after arriving at a New
Zealand airport she was fined NZD|NZ$230 by the
Manukau District Court for not
declaration|declaring an apple and orange
(fruit)|orange she had on her person when she
arrived. She appealed the fine but it was upheld
on March 30, 2005.  She has not been secret about
her strong vegetarian regime which made it
somewhat difficult in the physical training for
Million Dollar Baby.

She has been married to fellow actor Chad Lowe
since 1997.

==Filmography==
#The Reaping (2006) (currently announced start of
production)
#Freedom Writers (2006)
#The Black Dahlia (movie) (2005) (currently in
pre-production)
#Million Dollar Baby (2004)
#Red Dust (2004)
#Iron Jawed Angels (2004) (TV)
#11:14 (2003) (also executive producer)
#The Core (2003)
#The Space Between (2002) (short subject)
#Insomnia (movie)|Insomnia (2002)
#The Affair of the Necklace (2001)
#The Gift (movie)|The Gift (2000)
#The Audition (2000) (short subject)
#Boys Don't Cry (movie)|Boys Don't Cry (1999)
#Heartwood (1998)
#Beverly Hills 90210 (1990) (TV series)
(1997-1998)
#Quiet Days in Hollywood (1997)
#The Sleepwalker Killing (1997) (TV)
#Leaving L.A. (1997) (TV series)
#Dying to Belong (1997) (TV)
#Sometimes They Come Back... Again (1996)
#Terror in the Family (1996) (TV)
#Kounterfeit (1996)
#The Next Karate Kid (1994)
#Cries Unheard:  The Donna Yaklich Story (1994)
(TV)
#Camp Wilder (1992) (TV series)
#Buffy the Vampire Slayer (movie)|Buffy the
Vampire Slayer (1992)
#Evening Shade (1990) (TV series) (1991-1992)
#ABC TGIF (1990) (TV series)

==External links==
*imdb name | id=0005476 | name=Hilary Swank
*http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/02/60II/ma
in677647.shtml Hilary Swank: Oscar Gold, a March
2005 article accompanying a 60 Minutes story
*http://www2.oprah.com/rys/omag/rys_omag_200109_sw
ank.jhtml AHA! Moment: Hilary Swank, a September
2001 story in O, The Oprah Magazine about her
dreams