”I’m just a girl from a trailer park who had a dream.”- Hilary Swank

Famous words parted from Hilary Swank to Academy Awards audience after winning her second Academy Award from Million Dollar Baby.

Now, she’s back with the high flying role of Amelia Earhart in Amelia.

This makes her 21st film appearance since her mom drove her to Hollywood when she was 15 years old.

With only $75, they slept in the car and shared meals at Denny’s as Hilary’s mom Judy called agent after agent after agent.

Hilary Swank and Ewan McGregor In Amelia

After a long string of rejections she landed an agent after successfully nailing a McDonald’s commercial script.

She would later win her first Academy Award in 2000 for Boys Don’t Cry and her second in 2005 for Million Dollar Baby.

Swank grew up a loner and an outcast in Bellingham, Wash.

Without many friends she consoled herself reading books and watching films like The Elephant Man and The Miracle Worker. She identified with stories about outsiders. By age 9 she was already active in school theatre.

Hilary Swank on success: “My mom said to me that I could do anything I wanted in life as long as I worked hard enough.”

Here’s an excerpt of a phone interview with Hilary Swank from The Houston Chronicle:

Q: After winning the Oscar for Million Dollar Baby, you said you felt the closest to Maggie Fitzgerald than you’ve ever felt to a character. Was there a special connection to this role as Amelia Earhart?

A: I wouldn’t say I feel as close to her as I did Maggie Fitzgerald. Amelia is an icon, someone who, if she were living today, would still be ahead of her time. She was so unapologetic for living her life the way she wanted. Amelia’s a great reminder that life’s short, and you only have one life. Live it the way you best see it for yourself.

Q: Was there actual flying involved for you?

A: For insurance purposes Mira (Nair, the director) and I were not allowed to go up in those planes while they were shooting. They would fly, they would shoot, then they would get my reaction at a later time. I taxi the airplane, but it’s on the ground.

Q: Did you learn to fly for the role?

A: You can’t not learn how to fly to play Amelia Earhart. If I had missed that important step, I just don’t think I would have understood her on every level.

Q: Were the freckles in Amelia yours?

A: I have not one freckle. That’s my incredible makeup artist, Vivian Baker. … I actually liked having them a lot. And they’re perfect, because they cover up any blemish you may have.

Source – The Houston Chronicle

Hilary Swank Photogallery

No related posts.