Hilary Swank: Her Career In Pictures

Hilary Swank was born July 30, 1974 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Hilary was very active as a child taking part in numerous sports including gymnastics and swimming. In fact, she even competed in the Junior Olympics for gymnastics, ranking fifth in her state! In addition to her athletic abilities, Hilary also had a passion for acting. Feeling like an outsider throughout high school, acting allowed Hilary to escape into other roles!

At just 18, Hilary Swank would make her acting debut in comedy horror film Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While a small role, the part would lead to her breakthrough role as the lead in 1994's The Next Karate Kid, the fourth installment in The Karate Kid series. Using her gymnastics skills, Hilary excelled in the role and received glowing reviews!

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Hilary Swank would receive her next big role in 1997 when she was cast to play single mother "Carly Reynolds" in hit drama series Beverly Hills, 90210. Sadly, while promised a two-year contract the producers decided to write the character out after just 16 episodes. Hilary was devastated and her confidence would take a hit. 

It wouldn't take the budding star long to bounce back, however, and she would more than prove herself with 1999's biographical Boys Don't Cry. Taking on the part of trans man "Brandon Teena", Hilary delivered one of her best performances to date and critics regarded her as one of the best female performances of 1999 earning her both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Actress! 

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The 2000s would continue to bring hit after hit for Hilary Swank including 2002's psychological thriller Insomnia. Also starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams, the film received stellar reviews! 

It is pretty rare for a star to win both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for the same film, and even more rare for a star to go onto accomplish this twice. Hilary Swank would be that star though and once again won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress for her performance in 2004's Million Dollar Baby. Hilary was more than deserving having both mentally and physically trained hard for the part! 

Hilary Swank would continue to be unstoppable in the new millennium, taking on her next big role of real life Mexican-American teacher "Erin Gruwell" in 2007 drama Freedom Writers. Critics had nothing but praise for the actress, and the film is both eye-opening and inspiring! 

That same year Hilary Swank would also release one of our favorite romantic dramas, P.S. I Love You, opposite the dashing Gerard Butler. Based on the novel of the same name, Swank and Butler deliver the most impressive on-screen chemistry and will leave you in tears! 

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Over the years, Hilary Swank has truly proven that she can excel in any role she takes on and 2014 Western The Horseman and drama You're Not You are no exceptions! By 2015, she had landed herself on BBC's 100 Women list! 

While 'The Office' may have debated whether this star is hot or not, at 50 years old we'd say Hilary Swank is as gorgeous and talented as ever before! With recent performances in sci-fi film 'I am Mother' and horror thriller release 'The Hunt', Hilary Swank is continuing to shine, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for this bombshell!