I grew up in a trailer park in Bellingham, Washington.

I grew up in a trailer park in Bellingham, Washington.

Hilary Swank

My most annoying question is

My most annoying question is "Hilary, are you ever going to play a pretty girl?"

One of the great things about my job is I get to do all of these things that I may not experience had I not been an actor.

One of the great things about my job is I get to do all of these things that I may not experience had I not been an actor.

You have to be precisely in the moment in order to box. And I just love that. I just love the idea of right now we're here, be here.

You have to be precisely in the moment in order to box. And I just love that. I just love the idea of right now we're here, be here.

I'm certainly not very book smart, but I started traveling at 16, and it has enriched me in ways I could never begin to explain.

I'm certainly not very book smart, but I started traveling at 16, and it has enriched me in ways I could never begin to explain.

I really chase the things that I want.

I really chase the things that I want.

Learning how to fly, for me, was so euphoric.

Learning how to fly, for me, was so euphoric.

I had teachers who I could tell didn't want to be there. And I just couldn't get inspired by someone who didn't want to be there.

I had teachers who I could tell didn't want to be there. And I just couldn't get inspired by someone who didn't want to be there.

It's give-and-take and back-and-forth, that constantly allows you to grow as an artist and as a human being.

It's give-and-take and back-and-forth, that constantly allows you to grow as an artist and as a human being.

I took 'P.S. I Love You' thinking it was going to be a little funny, and I ended up crying every day on that film.

I took 'P.S. I Love You' thinking it was going to be a little funny, and I ended up crying every day on that film.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!,' by Dr. Seuss, is still one of my favorite books ever.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!,' by Dr. Seuss, is still one of my favorite books ever.

There's so much I want to do as an actor. I feel like there's so much more that I want to achieve and that I can achieve.

There's so much I want to do as an actor. I feel like there's so much more that I want to achieve and that I can achieve.

I'm a risk-taker. It's where my passion lies, so I don't want to play it safe. That means I'm going to fail sometimes.

I'm a risk-taker. It's where my passion lies, so I don't want to play it safe. That means I'm going to fail sometimes.

What do dreams know of boundaries?

What do dreams know of boundaries?

I had to fight my whole life to break out of my circumstances. That's just part of my makeup.

I had to fight my whole life to break out of my circumstances. That's just part of my makeup.

I'm just a girl from a trailer park who had a dream. I never thought this would ever happen.

I'm just a girl from a trailer park who had a dream. I never thought this would ever happen.

Growing up in a lower-income family, you don't have the resources to make ends meet and you have to find creative ways to get by.

Growing up in a lower-income family, you don't have the resources to make ends meet and you have to find creative ways to get by.

To me, working out is literally like eating a meal or drinking water or breathing.

To me, working out is literally like eating a meal or drinking water or breathing.

I cut coupons, love specials and believe in buying toilet paper and toothpaste in bulk. It's just who I am.

I cut coupons, love specials and believe in buying toilet paper and toothpaste in bulk. It's just who I am.