Double Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank has quite the film repertoire. Whether she is in front of or behind the camera, Swank is the epitome of Hollywood royalty. She began acting as a child and starred in her first local theater production at the age of nine in her home state of Washington. She was active in theater and sports until her move to Los Angeles when she began professionally acting.

One of her first TV appearances was on the hit show, Harry and the Hendersons. Within a few years, she had her breakout role in the cult classic, The Next Karate Kid. In 1999, Swank won the Oscar for Best Actress in Boys Don’t Cry. Upon receiving the coveted Oscar, Swank went on to star in The Gift, Million Dollar Baby, and The Black Dahlia. Whether she was the leading lady or the supporting actress, she made a name for being the woman who transforms or perseveres.

While she has been in a variety of films throughout the years, she returned to TV in 2018 for a series called Trust. Between 2019 and 2020, she lent her voice to the adult animated show, Bojack Horseman. Most recently, Swank returned to the silver screen in Jon Gunn’s Ordinary Angels, appearing alongside Reacher star Alan Ritchson. Here are some of Hilary Swank's best movies.

15 Logan Lucky

The action-comedy film from director Steven Soderbergh follows the true story of two brothers, played by Channing Tatum and Adam Driver, who are on a mission to undo their family's bad luck by robbing the infamous Coca-Cola 600. Logan Lucky focuses on the brothers redeeming their family through a heist and evading an ever persistent FBI agent.

Short & Sweet Appearance

The film is more for heist movie fans than for Hilary Swank fans since she only appears for a short amount of time as FBI Special Agent Sarah Grayson, giving Tatum and Driver's characters a literal run for their money. While this isn't the worst Swank movie, it does leave the audience wanting more from her since she makes such a small appearance. Nonetheless, she does the most she can with the role and reminds audiences why she remains one of Hollywood's most dynamic performers. Rent/Buy on Prime Video

14 Insomnia

In the murder-mystery Insomnia, directed by the illustrious Christopher Nolan, two LAPD homicide detectives are investigating the murder of a local teenager. While this is his pre-Batman era, Nolan solidifies his signature film trademark of delving into the human psyche. Al Pacino plays the experienced detective whose career is on the line.

Swank Holds Her Own

Hilary Swank plays a rookie police officer on the case who becomes an aide to Pacino's detective. To play alongside a crime film legend like Pacino and the late comedic genius Robin Williams, while also holding her own shows just how formidable a force Swank is as an actress. Nolan would later express how Insomnia was his most overlooked film, having once stated, "I’m very proud of the film. I think, of all my films, it’s probably the most underrated. [...] The reality is it’s one of my most personal films in terms of what it was to make it. It was a very vivid time in my life." Stream on Paramount+

13 P.S. I Love You

Director Richard LaGravenese delivers possibly one of the most heart-wrenching love stories since The Notebook. The first decade of the 2000s gave audiences plenty to sob over in terms of love stories; whether it was a man building a house for his dream girl (The Notebook, 2004) or a widow needing help to start over (P.S. I Love You, 2007), the redefining of how women are portrayed in romantic comedies or dramas began in this decade.

Related: 15 Greatest Love Stories of All Time, According to the American Film Institute

A Soul-Searching Journey

The film follows Swank's Holly whose husband Gerry, played by Gerard Butler, passes away from a brain tumor. Much like any romantic drama, Holly is grieving for what feels like an unfinished love story. Audiences see Swank display every emotion of a lost love perfectly, and they go along with her on her profoundly poignant journey. Whether she is in emotional pain or enjoying herself on an adventure, Swank deserved at least a Best Actress nomination from the Academy for her devastatingly raw portrayal. Stream on The Roku Channel

12 What They Had

From director Elizabeth Chomko, this heart-warming drama shows Swank alongside another acting legend: Blythe Danner. Playing a dutiful daughter, Swank's character Bridget is tasked with helping her family cope with their mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis. While Blythe Danner's portrayal of someone with Alzheimer's is devastatingly well done, Swank playing the "good daughter" of taking on her family's problems is far too familiar across film and TV landscapes.

A Complex Look at Grief

Despite this all too recognizable trope, Swank once again showcases her impressive ability to stand alongside legends and deliver a performance worthy of every amount of praise. In What They Had, audiences experience a catharsis in which they are put in every character's position of grief: whether it's denial, like the father displays, the anger the brother displays, or the bargaining and acceptance so wonderfully portrayed by Swank. Stream on Tubi

11 55 Steps

55 Steps, a German film directed by Billy August, tells the true story of Eleanor Riese, played by Helena Bonham Carter. The film follows the case of involuntary care of mentally ill individuals and the justice they received due to Eleanor's case being seen by the ACLU in California. Hilary Swank plays the lawyer assigned to her case, Colette Hughes, alongside Jeffrey Tambor, who plays her mentor.

An Unexpected Friendship

When a film follows the true story of an icon or landmark case, the prolific lawyer/advocate can sometimes be given the short end of the stick. However, Eleanor an Colette's friendship is the exception to the rule. Even though Elearnor's story took place in the 1980s, mental health was not widely discussed or accepted among popular culture. Often the stories of mentally ill individuals were written as burdens to those around them. Yet, Swank portrays Colette as someone who seeks to understand Eleanor in a beautiful way, another reason she is a formidable force in the acting community. Rent/Buy on Prime Video

10 11:14

In the massively underrated black comedy thriller 11:14, five vastly different storylines unfold over the course of a life-altering night, as the interconnected events ultimately lead to two car accidents at the eponymous time. Swank stars alongside famous faces like Rachel Leigh Cook, Patrick Swayze, and Colin Hanks in the inventive picture, appearing as convenience store worker Buzzy, who gets swept up in a dangerous robbery scheme carried out by her co-worker and friend.

Delightful Blend of Humor & Thrills

11:14 is engrossingly told through receding flashbacks, and though none of the characters were particularly amiable, audiences were on the edge of their seats watching the shocking events occur on screen. The thriller premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews, with Variety calling it a "zippy and sardonic feast of bad decision-making under pressure" and that it "artfully molds the seemingly unrelated misfortunes of 10 characters into a satisfying and consistently entertaining whole." Rent/Buy on Apple TV+

9 Fatale

In Deon Taylor's Fatale, Swank stars alongside Michael Ealy in this modern nod to Fatal Attraction. Derrick Tyler (Ealy) and Valerie Quinn (Swank) have a one-night stand that eventually leads to Derrick's undoing. Valerie is introduced as a casual club-goer who's looking for some spontaneous sex. When Derrick's home is broken into, the detective on the case is Valerie, which is only the beginning of his problems.

Swank Shifts Gears

Swank's take on the trope of lover-turned-manipulator is epic. Despite the notion of women acting crazy over a man, Swank brings a new wave to the overly-done concept that only she can deliver. It was fun for her fans to witness her let loose and branch out to portray an antagonistic character, and though Fatale garnered a lukewarm response from critics, it currently holds a respectable 88% Rotten Tomatoes audience score. Buy/Rent on Apple TV+

8 I Am Mother

Swank forayed into the cyberpunk genre when she headlined the Australian thriller I Am Mother, in which the Oscar-winner helps tell the story of a post-apocalyptic world where an automated bunker is created to help repopulate humanity, centering on a teenage girl named Daughter (Clara Rugaard) as she is raised by the robot, with whom she develops a unique connection with.

Woman vs. Machine

Swank portrays the amply-named Woman, who shows up to the bunker and completely turns Daughter's life upside down when she tells her there was never any contamination that plagued the earth. What ensues is a dangerous power struggle between Woman and Mother, that causes Daughter to second guess everything she thought she knew. I Am Mother is an intense and thought-provoking film, and for her role Swank was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress. Stream on Netflix

7 The Homesman

Tommy Lee Jones directed and starred in the Western historical drama The Homesman, an adaptation of the Glendon Swarthout novel that features the Hollywood great as claim jumper George Briggs, who is rescued by fearless frontier woman Mary Bee Cuddy and subsequently enlisted to help three women find safety in Iowa in 1854. Together, the unlikely pair face mounting threats on their noble and treacherous quest.

Refreshing Take on the Western

The Homesman showcased the brutal and unforgiving hardships American settlers faced in the Midwest, and was lauded for its exploration of the lives and impact of female settlers, who were rarely examined in film. Appreciatively deemed a "feminist Western", the drama competed for the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, where it earned praise for its stunning cinematography, captivating atmosphere, and Swank's fiery and tenacious portrayal. Stream on Tubi

6 Conviction

Swank shared the screen with acting chameleon Sam Rockwell for the biographical legal drama Conviction, starring as the determined Betty Anne Waters, who makes it her mission to get her brother Kenny's (Rockwell) murder conviction overturned, spending 18 grueling years fighting to see her sibling exonerated for a gruesome murder he didn't commit. Betty will stop at nothing to deliver justice, despite experiencing major pushback from her loved ones and the authorities.

Phenomenal Chemistry

Conviction is based on a true story and featured the additional talents of Melissa Leo, Minnie Driver, and Juliette Lewis, and the endearing chemistry between Swank and Rockwell helped moviegoers truly believe in her character's noble crusade to seek vindication for her incarcerated brother. The duo effortlessly played off one another in every scene they were in, with their touching camaraderie being one of the most compelling aspects of the gripping picture. Rent/Buy on Prime Video

5 Freedom Writers

2007 may have been iconic for pop culture in other respects, but it was truly Hilary Swank's year. In her first film of 2007, Freedom Writers, she worked with director Richard LaGravenese for the first time that year (they would work together again on P.S. I Love You) on the true story of California high school English teacher Erin Gruwell. This film is in the top 5 of her best films because it's truly one of her most iconic roles.

An Unforgettable Performance

Freedom Writers follows an Erin (Swank), an English teacher in an at-risk school in Long Beach, California. She encourages her students to use their own words to tell their stories and shares them in a book called The Freedom Writers. Swank's ability to portray a teacher who is tasked with taking on high school students who need to be seen as valid is truly remarkable. Stream on Paramount+

Related: These Are Some Inspiring Movies Based on a True Story

4 Ordinary Angels

In Swank's most recent cinematic endeavor, the decorated actress partnered up with Reacher breakout star Alan Ritchson to star in the emotionally-moving drama Ordinary Angels, following Kentucky hairdresser Sharon Stevens as she inspires the residents of her community to help devoted father and widower Ed Schmitt save the life of his youngest daughter, who is awaiting a crucial liver transplant.

An Emotional Rollercoaster

After the 1994 North American cold wave rips through Louisville, Sharon courageously rallied her fellow citizens to help Ed and his children, with the touching picture depicting the power of determination and helping one's neighbors. Ordinary Angels is already impressing moviegoers and critics, with audiences awarding the inspirational flick an A+ CinemaScore and garnering acclaim for its earnest story, absorbing performances by Swank and Ritchson, and heartfelt message. Currently in Theaters/pre-order on Vudu

3 Boys Don't Cry

Boys Don't Cry, directed by Kimberly Peirce, is the film that won Hilary Swank Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Oscars. Another true story turned into an engrossing drama, Swank portrays a transgender teenager on the run. The story of Brandon Teena is one filled with heartbreak. While a cis-het woman, Swank, plays a transgender teen, the significance of this story not only being told, but also winning 50 awards in 1999 is beyond phenomenal.

Swanks Sweeps the Award Season

For Swank to portray a trans person as someone who is not the comic relief or guide to a straight individual, but a real human dealing with real emotions, is incredible. It was named one of the best releases of the year and remains a deeply moving and powerful entry in her illustrious Hollywood repertoire. Not only is Boys Don't Cry one of Swank's greatest films, but it is also truly a stand-out LGBTQIA film that continues to resonate with audiences. Rent/Buy on Prime Video

2 Iron Jawed Angels

From director Katja von Garnier, the true story of Alice Paul and the women's suffrage movement in America during the 1910s is told in Iron Jawed Angels. Alongside Angelica Huston, Frances O'Connor, and Margo Martindale, Swank portrays Alice Paul, leader of the suffrage movement. Once again, Swank shows her ability to hold her own and lead the storyline with acting knockouts.

An Enlightening Historical Drama

As organic as it is for women in Hollywood to become advocates, truly the portrayal of a real life advocate and change-maker came with a particular challenge unfamiliar to women in Hollywood. For the suffrage movement, many women refused to eat; something Swank did to bring truth to her honest portrayal. The made-for-TV drama earned Swank a Golden Globe nod and featured phenomenal performances by its star-studded cast, while also delivering a moving history lesson for viewers. Stream on Max

1 Million Dollar Baby

This is obviously the best Hilary Swank film because of one reason: women boxing! In director Clint Eastwood's engrossing drama Million Dollar Baby, Swank portrays an aspiring boxer named Maggie Fitzgerald. After begging to be trained by a reluctant Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), Maggie is taken under the wing of a former fighter named Scrap, played by the iconic Morgan Freeman.

Swank's Knockout Performance

With a whopping 86 nominations and 68 wins, Million Dollar Baby is not just the best women's sports movie of the early 2000s, but undeniably the best Hilary Swank film. Both critics and audiences alike were blown away by her fearless performance. After Swank won the coveted Academy Award for Best Actress, she went to In-N-Out in her gown to celebrate. Truly a Hollywood icon. Rent/Buy on Prime Video