Hilary Swank Doesn’t Care Much About Fame and Prefers Simple Pleasures, Like Knitting and Nature Walks, Over Social Events

Hilary Swank has managed to build an amazing career in film; she’s been involved in many interesting projects and has won many prestigious awards, including two Oscars. However, she doesn’t seem to care about fame or recognition, and when she’s not working, she prefers to spend her time hiking or knitting on the porch of her Colorado home.

Hilary Swank had long dreamed of a ranch in the wilderness.

When the actress was in her early 20s, she started looking at buying land for herself. Hilary always found being outdoors to be soothing, and it was away from the hustle and bustle of the city that she felt truly happy. In 2016, she and her future husband, Philip Schneider, found a plot of land in Colorado, and she immediately fell in love with that corner of the world.

The property was surrounded by mountains and thick forests, and, most importantly, there was no one for miles around. This was her own version of paradise, so a couple of years later, they started the house construction. In 2021, Hilary and Philip put their luxury home in California up for sale and finally moved to Colorado.

Swank grew up on the Northwest coast and was more used to wandering in the forests than in the urban jungle. As a child, she and her friends would always mark the end of the school year with a swim in the lake, and then Hilary would enjoy the outdoors all summer long. So, every time the actress finds herself in nature, she’s reminded of those carefree days, and it helps her to overcome any difficulties.

To recuperate after a stressful day, the actress just needs to go for a walk. That’s precisely why the house in Colorado was the perfect choice for her. As soon as Swank finishes work, she starts exploring her surroundings. “I like to just take a walk, and I like to wind through the trees or into an open field. I like to feel my feet on the ground. I like to lay on my back and look up and see the clouds float by,” she says.

As well as working out at the gym, Hilary enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and kayaking. And all she has to do is throw all the necessary equipment into her off-road vehicle and drive out of the yard. She also encourages everyone else to get out into nature as often as possible to relax and regain energy.

Swank can’t imagine her life without physical activity, but recently she had to pretend to be bad at it. According to the script of her latest film, Alaska Daily, the actress had to run a lot. At the time, she was in her first months of pregnancy and trying to keep it quiet. Hilary pretended to be a terrible runner, so they’d assign her a double. Now she’s no longer hiding her condition and is taking time to rest comfortably at home.

The couple wanted to build a home, not a fancy house.

The actress doesn’t approve of wasting natural resources, so she decided to use boulders and rocks from the surroundings to build the house. She and her husband designed it to be a permanent residence, not a holiday lodge. Hilary had two main requirements. Firstly, the building had to be comfortable not only for people but also for the four-legged family members. After all, the couple shares their home with five dogs, who like to divide their time between the yard and the indoor areas.

Secondly, Hilary dreamed of large panoramic windows so that nothing would get in the way of the mountain view. And although these had to be custom-made, the actress couldn’t give up on her idea. She spent her childhood years in a dark, cramped trailer and now appreciates the abundance of natural light indoors. Hilary and Philip also wanted to grow their own fruit and veg right there on the ranch. They built a space, especially for this purpose, in which the correct temperature is kept at all times.

The actress dreams of turning her ranch into a shelter for homeless animals.

Swank has loved animals since she was a child. Growing up in a trailer park, some people judge you by your clothes and the amount of money you have. She quickly realized that her four-legged friends didn’t care about that at all; they were only interested in Hilary herself.

Since then, pets have become constant companions in the actress’s life, and their troubles can tug on her heartstrings even more so than many people. So, another reason which prompted the actress to change her place of residence was her pets. Five dogs, two parrots, and a horse went to live with her on the ranch.

Hilary got all her dogs from a shelter. Only half of the homeless dogs in America manage to find a forever home, so the actress decided that all her future pets would be rescues. Now that she and Philip own a big ranch with lots of space around it, she hopes to adopt even more four-legged friends. Unfortunately, though, she can’t take in cats, as her husband is allergic to them.

Hilary’s love for animals inspired her to set up her own foundation, Hilaroo, which helps disadvantaged children and stray dogs to find each other. The actress believes that some kids, due to their life circumstances, lose all faith in humanity, but dogs can prove to them that unconditional love still exists and bring back hope for a happy future.

Swank’s other passion is knitting.

When the actress isn’t working or going for walks with her pets, she settles into a quiet corner with her knitting needles. Hilary feels that it’s a great way to get away from gadgets and bring a little use to relaxation.

She knits clothes for herself and her four-legged family members, as well as posting patterns online so that others can make similar items. The money from selling the patterns goes to charity.

Hilary still tries to be careful with money.

Even though the actress grew up in poverty, she wouldn’t trade those years for anything. It was these circumstances that made her who she is and taught her to appreciate all that she has been able to achieve. Having come a long way from a trailer park girl to an owner of a huge ranch, Swank has found her worth. It was hard work that helped her achieve success, and now she prefers to live life to the fullest and enjoy every second of it.

Hilary is happy that now she doesn’t have to worry about paying the bills, but she’s kept her down-to-earth nature. She likes to buy things on sale, still uses coupons and is not embarrassed to admit it. If Hilary does spend money, she prefers to buy things for her family and friends.

Do you prefer city life, or would you rather get away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis?