Hilary Swank Won an Oscar For a Role That Paid Her So Little She Didn’t Qualify For Health Insurance
Hilary Swank is one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors, with more than one Oscar to her name. Known for her tendency to portray historical figures and for her extreme body transformations, she is widely known for her talent and tenacity. Swank landed her big breakout role as Brandon Teena, a transgender man, in 1999’s groundbreaking film Boys Don’t Cry. The star won multiple awards, including an Oscar, for her performance. But Swank said that due to the low pay that she received, she didn’t qualify for health insurance.
Hilary Swank received critical acclaim (and an Oscar) for ‘Boys Don’t Cry’
Swank was born in Nebraska in 1974. She had a working-class upbringing, but at an early age, she developed a fondness for acting. According to IMDb, Swank and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California, when she was a teenager to pursue her acting ambitions. Still, Swank had a tough time getting started in the industry. In 1992, she made her film debut in the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Over the years that followed, Swank acted in several movies, generally in supporting roles. But she didn’t ultimately land her big breakout role until 1999. She worked hard on Boys Don’t Cry, reducing her body fat and binding her chest to accurately play Teena. Her dedication paid off — for her work in Boys Don’t Cry, Swank won an Academy Award for Best Actress as well as a Golden Globe Award and numerous other honors.
What did Hilary Swank say about not having health insurance after ‘Boys Don’t Cry’?
Although Swank was honored with top acting awards for Boys Don’t Cry, she wasn’t compensated as well financially. In fact, she only made $3,000 total for the movie. In a 2016 roundtable interview with Chelsea Handler, Swank opened up about how her low pay affected her quality of life.
“So when I did Boys Don’t Cry, I was 24 years old,” Swank said, as reported by People Magazine. “I made $3,000. In order to have health insurance, you have to make $5,000. So I didn’t even know that I didn’t have health insurance until I went and tried to get a prescription filled.”
Swank went on. “They said, ‘That’s $160.’ I went, ‘Um, did you try my insurance?’ They said, ‘Mmm-hmm.’ I had an Academy Award, no health insurance.” While Swank went on to experience greater success, winning her second Academy Award in 2004, her financial troubles didn’t stop.
“Then I win my second Academy Award, and the next couple movies later, I get offered a movie,” she said. “But the male hadn’t had any kind of critical success, but had been in a movie where he was hot. And he got offered $10 million, and I got offered $500,000. That’s the truth. The truth.”
What is Hilary Swank doing these days?
Swank has been an acting champion for two decades, but these days, she lives a more low-profile life. While she has continued to act in movies like Logan Lucky, Freedom Writers, and The Hunt, she’s remained mostly out of the spotlight, typically avoiding interviews and focusing on her work.
Most recently, Swank started acting in the TV series Alaska Daily. Her personal life is also better than ever, with the 48-year-old recently announcing her pregnancy.
