‘Alaska Daily’: Hilary Swank Talks Challenges of Filming While Pregnant With Twins
Surprise! This two-time Oscar winner is about to be a first-time mom. Hilary Swank, 48, announced that she’s pregnant with “miracle” twins just one day before the premiere of her new show on ABC, Alaska Daily. She had been hiding the news from the show’s crew, as Swank is still in the midst of filming. After her announcement, the Million Dollar Baby star revealed the challenges she’s faced with being pregnant on set and how it’s changed her perspective.
Hilary Swank announced her pregnancy on ‘Good Morning America’
The big news came during Swank’s appearance on Good Morning America to promote Alaska Daily on Oct. 5. Swank shared that she and her husband, Philip Schneider — whom she married in 2018 — are expecting their first children together: a set of twins.
“This is something that I’ve been wanting for a long time, and my next thing is I’m going to be a mom. And not just of one, but of two. I can’t believe it,” Swank said. “It’s so nice to be able to talk about it and share it.”
Swank spoke about her pregnancy a bit more on Live With Kelly and Ryan, sharing that she’s “feeling good right now.” She added that she and Schneider are “so excited” to welcome the new members of their family.
“It’s such a blessing, it’s a total miracle. It’s unbelievable,” Swank said.
Hilary Swank says filming ‘Alaska Daily’ while pregnant has given her a new perspective
While attending other press interviews in New York (per Anchorage Daily News), Swank discussed the trouble she had trying to keep her pregnancy a secret on set.
“You don’t tell for 12 weeks for a certain reason. But then, like, you’re growing and you’re using the bathroom a lot and you’re eating a lot. I’m sure there’s been conversations, and when I get back to the set, people will be like, ‘Oh, it all makes sense now,'” The Next Karate Kid actor explained.
Swank continued on to say that she wanted to wait until she was far along enough to tell everyone, but her clothes had other plans.
“There was a moment just last week when my pants didn’t fit anymore and I had to like cut … my pants and then I put a jacket on over it like I had to hide it, right?” she said. “And the continuity [person] was like, ‘That doesn’t match [a previous take.’] … I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I have to be able to tell people soon.'”
Working long days on a TV set is hard enough as it is, so Swank has a newfound respect for expectant mothers who work while pregnant. She added:
“I’ve never been pregnant before and being able to now have a deeper understanding of what women have gone through for so long, the nauseousness and the exhaustion, and especially in the first trimester. We work 15-hour days and a TV series is like a marathon, so some days are six-day weeks and we have 30-minute lunches. And look, I’m not complaining because I love my job, but when you ask, like, ‘What is it like to be pregnant during that?’ It’s definitely a different set of circumstances.”
When is Hilary Swank due? Will she be pregnant on ‘Alaska Daily’?
Swank didn’t share any details on her due date. However, if she’s around 12 weeks now, the twins will likely arrive sometime in late spring 2023.
In Alaska Daily, Swank plays a high-profile New York investigative journalist named Eileen Fitzgerald. After a “fall from grace,” Eileen receives an opportunity to move to Anchorage, Alaska, to investigate a string of cold cases involving murdered Alaska Native women.
It’s not clear yet how the show will handle Swank’s pregnancy as she gets farther along — for now, there are no confirmed plans to make her character pregnant.
Alaska Daily premieres tonight, Oct. 6, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
