Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank is one of the most acclaimed American actresses and producers. Born to Judy Kay, a secretary, and dancer, and Stephen Swank, a Chief Master Sergeant in the Oregon Air National Guard, Swank was enrolled at the South Pasadena High School but dropped out later citing lack of interest and ADHD. it was in 1992 that she made her acting debut with the comedy horror movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, her breakout role came with the movie The Next Karate Kid (1994), the fourth installment of The Karate Kid franchise. She later earned critical acclaim for her role of the American trans man Brandon Teena in the movie Boys Don't Cry (1999). Swank received the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for her performance in Boys Don't Cry.

Five years later, Swank received her second Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her role of a struggling waitress-turned-boxer Maggie Fitzgerald in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. Some of her other notable films include The Gift (2000), Insomnia (2002), Red Dust (2004), The Reaping (2007), P.S. I Love You (2007), and The Homesman (2014). Her 2017 releases include the movies Spark (voice character), Logan Lucky and 55 Steps.