Hilary Swank, A Star For Hollywood’s Million Dollar Baby
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Hilary Swank, Oscar winner and star of the film Million Dollar Baby in 2005, has officially walked to fame. In a ceremony on January 8 in Los Angeles, she received another coveted award, a star (the 2,325th in place) on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. She has come a long way from trailer parks to fame and fortune, winning two Oscars, the first for Boys Don’t Cry, and realizing a dream that once seemed impossible. Hilary also received the Emery Award, presented by the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York City in November 2006, for her role in Boys Don’t Cry. The Emery is given for outstanding acting in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth between the ages of 12 – 21. After separating from her eight-year marriage to Chad Lowe last year and with divorce in the near future, she is now seen frequently with her agent, John Campisi, from the Creative Arts Agency. She admits to having never lived alone, moving in with Chad directly from home with Mom, and depending a lot upon family and friends.
Hilary is starring in the just released film Freedom Writers, a true story of Erin Gruwell, a teacher from Long Beach, California. Her role as Erin is one of determination and inspiration, as she attempts to teach freshman English to a diverse group of inner city kids. Along with an excellent co-star in Patrick Dempsey as her disgruntled husband, Hilary becomes more of a parent than a teacher for a disruptive class of problem teenagers. She delivers a powerful performance, as she attempts to guide them toward self-respect and to overcome the strikes against them. Although her performance is solid, the story of a teacher trying to overcome obstacles is not unique, and she may not win an Oscar for this one. She has never forgotten the struggle to get to the top, however, remembering the days with no money, buying something to wear for an audition, and having to return it the next day. Her New Year’s resolution is to return the gifts she receives at award shows. We will see Ms Swank on January 15th as a presenter at the 64th annual Golden Globe Awards, and again this year as the leading actress in P.S., I Love You.
