"The ups and downs are so challenging and can be overwhelming," the actress said.
Hilary Swank, the two-time Academy Award winner, is gifted not just at acting, but at being a wonderful human being. The Hollywood star spent most of her childhood in a trailer park in Bellingham, Washington, but she and her mother eventually relocated to Los Angeles following her parents' divorce in 1990. The mother and daughter pair moved so that Hilary could pursue an acting career.
Stephen Swank, the actress' father, was hardly present because he served in the Air National Guard before going on to work as a traveling salesperson. Judy Swank, Hilary's mother, who worked as a clerk, was also her staunchest ally. They both chose to move to Tinseltown with the little money they had—and with nowhere to live—because Judy thought her daughter was destined to end up in Hollywood after noticing her acting talent, per CBS News. "My mom said to me that I could do anything I wanted in life. As long as I worked hard enough," said Swank. "And to this day, it still makes me really emotional, because I just never questioned it, you know? She just always believed in me."
Hilary explained that after their separation, her parents had a strained relationship and that her mother and she came to another state, where they ended up homeless. "She was at a crossroads. My father and she were getting separated, and she said, 'Let's go to California.' And so $75, and a Mobil card, we drove down to California," she shared.
The duo spent a few weeks living in their car before a friend recommended they temporarily move into their house. The actress did not have the support of her father growing up. But her background made her very grounded. "My background is not something I forget," Swank said. "It helps me to not take what I have for granted."
She proved what she believed in when in 2014, she paused her thriving career to care for her ailing father. The two-time Oscar winner revealed why she took a break from Hollywood to be by her father Stephen's side during his lung transplant procedure, per PEOPLE. Swank claimed she became her father's "health advocate". The actress shared that "It takes a lot of energy, love, and edifying yourself on the matter at hand," and added that "the ups and downs are so challenging and can be overwhelming."
She also shared advice for others who become health advocates for loved ones, "Make sure that you’re taking time for yourself and that you vocalize what your needs are to the people who are around you so they can help support you."
References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hilary-swank-oscar-gold-02-03-2005/
https://people.com/movies/hilary-swank-took-break-from-hollywood-to-care-for-dad/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Kevin Winter
