Hilary Swank’s Rise to Fame She is an actress and a spokesperson for an institute that supports kids who are transgender, gay or lesbian in a New York charter school. “She absolutely inhabits her characters and approaches each one with unparalleled enthusiasm” (Clint Eastwood “Hilary Swank Biography” 1). This extraordinary woman is Hilary Swank. On July 30, 1974 Hilary was born into a family with little money. The little Nebraskan girl knew from the beginning that she was born to act. At only age six, Hilary’s father left her with only her mother and brother. Hilary’s life was very hard after her father left because her mom’s job could not support her kids. For a few years, Hilary lived in a trailer with her mother and brother. Gymnastics and swim were two activities besides acting that Hilary was really well at. As a teenager, Hilary was in the Junior Olympics for swimming. Even though she really enjoyed gymnastics and swim, she found a passion for acting, but could not reach her dream living in a trailer in a small town. Judy Swank was more than a mom to Hilary; she was her “momager” and her number one supporter. Hilary’s mom saw her daughter’s potential as an actress, and did everything to help her succeed in life. One of the biggest leaps the Swank family took was moving to L.A., California. “Moving to California with only a few dollars in their pockets resulted in their family living in their car for a while. Ms. Swank was so determined to get Hilary auditions, but did not have a phone to call agents. They used to book auditions using quarters they found on the ground for a phone booth. Hilary worked so hard every day to try to make it to the big time” (“Memorable performances” 1)! She got signed with agent, Bonnie Liedtke, until she was 21. Bonnie helped Hilary get some of her starting small roles in shows resembling Evening Shades and Growing Pains. Everyone was noticing how talented Hilary was, and she started receiving many roles. She put every ounce of her time trying to get better. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Next Karate Kid were two movies before her big breakthrough on the big hit television show Beverly Hills 90210. The movie that truly showed Hilary’s dedication to work was Boys Don’t