Hilary Swank welcomed twins: who is the father?
She quit acting to care for her ill dad.
Swank now has a new life on rancho with her husband and kids: why did it take so long to have them despite her desire?
Film actress Hilary Swank became a first-time mom after welcoming twins. She and her husband, entrepreneur Philip Schneider, now have a son and a daughter.
The elated new mother posted a snapshot holding her newborns while looking over the sunset in a social media upload.
“It wasn’t easy. But boy (and girl!) was it worth it,” Swank captioned her post, adding, “Happy Easter! Posting from pure heaven.”
After leaving behind her Hollywood life, the “Freedom Writers” star relocated to a rancho with her beloved spouse, where they will be raising their children.
Swank – Mom at 48 After Long Path: She and Her Husband Welcome Twins
The couple has been married for four years as they tied the knot in August 2018. They met through mutual friends who set them up on a blind date.
For their first date, Swank and Schneider had a bottomless lunch set up by actor Misha Collins’s wife, Vicki, and another pal, Jean. They got together in the morning and went their separate ways late at night. She said during a 2018 interview that it was apparent they had a good time.
Schneider popped the big question a year and a half later, and to this day, Swank still questions why they waited so long to get married. He proposed while they were on vacation in Colorado in 2016.
While there, they came across magnificent mountain views with a waterfall around the rustic cabins from the 1800s. “One evening, Philip dropped to his knee in front of the waterfall and proposed.” Swank revealed.
Having asked for her hand in marriage in such a natural setting, it made logical sense to walk down the aisle at a perfect location surrounded by nature because the lovebirds are nature lovers.
From the onset of their wedding plans, Schneider and the film producer knew they wanted to exchange wedding vows close to their home in California so that her father (who was ill and could not fly) could walk her down the aisle.
They chose redwoods as their venue for the nuptials, with Swank explaining Santa Lucia Preserve in Camel, California, offered what they wanted for their big day. “It’s a stunning private community surrounded by 20,000 acres of conservancy and an intimate redwood grove populated with trees that are over 800 years old.”
The “P.S. I Love You” star said of her wedding to Schneider, “It was timeless,” adding there were no other words to define the experience:
“It was truly a dream come true.”
Another dream come true for Swank is being a mother, an experience she has been waiting for her whole life. The brunette announced her twin pregnancy in October 2022, and an insider revealed:
“She cannot wait to have [children] and has wanted to have kids for a while. Her career got in the way of having kids in the past and now she feels ready to focus on being a mom.”
In an August 2020 interview, Swank got candid about motherhood and said it was a sensitive subject for her. Despite not being a parent at the time, she insisted that she was still nurturing to the people around her, including the animals in her household.
The Hollywood star discussed the issue of many women who have been bashed for not having or being unable to have kids – therefore being categorized as unmaternal. “Any type of mothering, any type of nurturing is being a mother.”
After the exciting news of welcoming her son and daughter at age 48, fans congratulated her on Facebook. “Anyone who wants to be a mom and gets a chance no matter what her age is. I’m glad she gets to experience it!” wrote one social media user.
Someone else penned, “48 with twins. God bless her!” While a third user stated age is not a factor in becoming a parent. Other fans criticized Swank for choosing to be a mom so late in her life. ”
“48 is too old to have your first child,” said one person. While another user commented, “She will be 78 years old when they turn 30! Oh my!” Meanwhile, one person commented that it is interesting that many stars are parents to a set of twins. “IVF is a gift from God?”
Swank Put Her Hollywood Life on Hold to Be a Caregiver for Her Dad
Before becoming a mother, Swank had gone through a daunting experience caring for her ailing father. The two-time Academy Award winner paused her acting career to become her parent’s full-time caregiver.
Swank, who started acting at age 15, went on a hiatus in 2014. Her father needed a lung transplant, and she wanted to be by his side every step of the way.
The Nebraska native initially planned on taking a year off, but she did not work for three years due to her dad’s recovery process, which took longer than expected.
Thankfully, her father fully recovered, and she returned to work. Swank made a comeback in 2020 when she appeared in the thriller film, “The Hunt,” and was the lead in the Netflix series, “Away.”
Sadly, her father, with whom she had a close relationship, passed away a year after she returned to work. Swank revealed the heart-breaking news on her Instagram account on January 1, 2022:
“In October, my Dear Dad made his transition to the other side.”
A Quiet Life on a Rancho Raising Kids: Why Did It Take So Long to Have Them Despite Wish?
Swank previously revealed that her kids would be born on her late father’s birthday, and she described it as “beautiful,” adding their birth date would be a tribute to him as he was her “favorite” person.
As for how she believes her beloved dad would have reacted to her being a mom, the “Million Dollar Baby” star said he would be over the moon for her.
He always wanted her to have whatever she desired in life. The award-winning star held off on being a parent because her career and relationships did not make her ready to have kids. That was until she met her now-husband.
In addition to being on cloud nine as a new parent, Swank has also found her happy place, referring to her new home in Colorado. She said in a November 2020 interview:
“I find nature to be my happiest place, and animals are my other happiest place. And to be with both of them is everything to me.”
Swank and Schneider’s home is situated in the wilderness of the southwest Colorado mountains. It is built on 168 acres of land which they discovered in 2016 and ultimately bought in July 2018.
The building process began two years later, and there were some delays because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the property was completed, and the couple moved in August 2020.
The house has large windows and is spacious enough for her rescue dogs to roam freely. Not only is it modern, but it is also sustainable and features reclaimed materials.
