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Hilary Swank was one of the most prominent actors in the late 90s and early 2000s. She appeared in numerous movies and TV shows. In fact, Swank has more than 50 acting credits under her belt, but she’s probably most well-known for her roles in the indie film Boys Don’t Cry (1999) and the sports drama Million Dollar Baby (2004).
It’s no secret the two-time Academy Award winner has worked hard to get to where she is today. From her breakout role in The Next Karate Kid (1994), it was clear Swank was a good actor, as well as an accomplished athlete. So it’s no wonder she worked hard to get in shape for her Million Dollar Baby role. In fact, the star has put on almost 20 pounds of muscle to achieve that look!
Million Dollar Baby Gave Hilary Swank Her Second Academy Award
Million Dollar Baby is a boxing drama film directed, co-produced, and scored by Clint Eastwood. It is based on Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, a short-stories collection written by fight manager Jerry Boyd under the pen name F.X. Toole. The movie stars Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman.
Million Dollar Baby tells the story of Margaret “Maggie” Fitzgerald (portrayed by Swank), an amateur boxer who seeks out the help of a retired boxing trainer (Eastwood) to achieve her lifelong dream of making it as a professional athlete.
The movie was a complete box office hit. According to Box Office Mojo, Million Dollar Baby grossed out more than $216 million worldwide. In addition, it received plenty of critical praise and was nominated for numerous awards, including various Academy Award nominations. And in the 2005 Oscars, Eastwood’s movie won in four major categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Leading Actress, and Best Supporting Actor for Freeman’s performance.
Swank won her second Oscar with Million Dollar Baby, having won another one for her performance in the indie film Boys Don’t Cry a decade earlier. Moreover, the movie would help the actress gain even more fame and recognition. Following the success of this film, Hilary Swank would go on to have a very successful acting career.
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How Hilary Swank Got In Shape For Her Million Dollar Baby Role
Swank managed to give an incredible performance as Maggie in Million Dollar Baby. Her heart-wrenching portrayal of a boxer who fails to succeed in her lifelong athletic aspirations won her an Oscar, after all. But Swank did more than learn her lines to prepare for this role.
It’s a little-known fact that Swank was an accomplished athlete before she became an actor. When she was younger, she swam in the Junior Olympics and was a top-ranked gymnast. And, of course, she put these skills into practice when she landed the leading role in The Next Karate Kid in the 90s. So it’s no surprise that Swank used her athletic abilities to get in shape for Million Dollar Baby in the early 2000s.
Swank had to learn how to box to portray aspiring boxer, Maggie Fitzgerald. In addition to this, she had to alter her body to look like someone who had practiced this sport for most of her life. And she had to do all of this in only 90 days!
Gaining 19 Pounds Of Muscle For Million Dollar Baby Was No Easy Task For Hilary Swank
“My training was two and a half hours of boxing and approximately an hour and a half to two hours lifting weights every day, six days a week,” Swank told MovieWeb. “The producers asked me to gain 10 pounds of muscle. I gained 19 pounds of muscle. I started at 110 and went to 129. And in order to do that, I had to eat 210 grams of protein a day. Now, your body can only assimilate so much protein, so I had to eat every hour and a half.”
In addition to following a strict meal plan, Swank had to sleep at least nine hours every day and train for hours on end. Her workouts consisted of conditioning, weightlifting, and boxing practice, which Swank has revealed is one of the most intense workouts she’s ever done.
“The first time I heard a three-minute round, I thought, ‘Wow, I’m going to kick someone’s ass. Three minutes? That’s nothing.’ In my second round, I was halfway through three minutes and I about threw up, the first time I sparred. There is no way you can explain it. My face was as red as that red. The cardio, you don’t stop moving, you don’t stop punching, and you’re getting hit. The only way I can explain it is if you were to take a jump rope and go as fast as you could for three minutes while someone’s punching you in the stomach. That’s the only way I can probably explain it”, she admitted.
Although she no longer maintains her Million Dollar Baby workout routine, the actress still enjoys exercising. Since moving to Colorado, Swank has gotten into hiking and spending time in nature.
