Earlier this week, we reported on Cameron Diaz taking a step back from the limelight in Hollywood and now it would seem that Hilary Swank has a similar story. In a new interview, iconic actress Hilary Swank discusses her five-year hiatus, her journey from Hollywood to homebound and why she’s finally ready to step back into the limelight.
We spoke about Cameron Diaz’s departure from Hollywood on this episode of It’s Been A Big Day For…
After starring in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Karate Kid and Beverly Hills, 90210, Hilary Swank became a household name. But after a very long stint in Hollywood, the Oscar-winning actress chose to step out of the limelight in 2014 to focus on personal matters. Now, ahead of her Netflix series, Away, which releases in September, she’s explaining why.
The actress detailed her father’s lung transplant surgery as one of the reasons she took a break from Hollywood.
“It was supposed to be a year, because it takes a year to see if an organ transplant takes. A lung transplant is the most difficult of all, as it’s an incredibly delicate organ. The plan was to take off a year,” she told Health magazine. “I became my dad’s health advocate. One year quickly turned into two, and then three.”
“And, thank God, prayers were answered. He is healthy and doing really well five-plus years later,” Hilary Swank continued.
Hilary Swank also said that this incident caused her to become a health advocate herself and how that was a lot to take on. “It takes a lot of energy, love, and edifying yourself on the matter at hand. The ups and downs are so challenging and can be overwhelming,” Hilary Swank detailed. “Make sure that you’re taking time for yourself and that you vocalize what your needs are to the people who are around you so they can help support you.”
Her own wellbeing has become a priority for Hilary Swank, saying that asking herself “What do I need?” is something she does often. “It can change daily. It can change hourly. But it’s the idea of honouring what it is that you need for yourself, and doing it.”
But now, after taking a break from the spotlight, Hilary Swank is finally ready to take on her biggest role yet. Not to mention, it’s a role she’s always dreamed of. “Before being an actor, I wanted to be an astronaut. I had such passion for, and respect for, astronauts and people who are exploring something that’s so much bigger than all of us,” Hilary Swank said. “Something else, which was just as significant to me when I read Away, was that the script was unique in its inclusion of so many multiethnic characters. They too are all struggling with their own powerful personal stories, which really connects all of us. It also highlights the beautiful fact that space has no borders.”
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