A professional actress since the age of sixteen, when she moved to Los
Angeles from her native Bellingham, Washington, Hilary Swank first
appeared onscreen in 1992's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Two years later, she
earned a rudimentary degree of fame when she was picked to star in The
Next Karate Kid, but this recognition proved fleeting: Swank subsequently
appeared in a number of minor films and did a year-long stint on Beverly
Hills 90210. In 1999, however, she won both acclaim and recognition for
her lead role in Kimberly Peirce's independent drama Boys Don't Cry. Based
on the real-life story of Brandon Teena, a woman whose decision to lead
her life as a man met with dire consequences, Boys Don't Cry was one of
the year's most lauded films, with particular praise going to Swank for
her stunning performance. She went on to win a number of honors for her
work in the film, including Golden Globe and Academy Awards for Best
Actress. |