Hilary Swank is opening up about the criticism she has received over becoming a mother later in life. The actress, who is reportedly expecting another child at 52, recently addressed the backlash from people who believe she is too old to welcome a baby, sharing why she views the situation differently.
Swank appeared in a preview for an upcoming episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, where she looked radiant in a colorful, cozy outfit. The actress wore a rainbow-quilted sweater over a simple white cropped shirt, which was lifted to reveal her pregnant belly. She paired the look with light-wash, baggy denim jeans and blue suede pumps, adding a pop of color with a red handbag.
She styled her hair in loose curls with a side part and completed the look with radiant makeup, smiling for the cameras.
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Hilary Swank Flaunts Her Baby Bump At 52
Swank announced her pregnancy news on Instagram in a family video. She already shares 3-year-old twins, Aya and Ohm, with her husband, Philip Schneider. Her latest pregnancy has also reignited a conversation about the double standards women can face when they choose to have children later in life.
“There’s a lot of backlash women get for having children older but not men, which is interesting,” Swank said in the clip from the episode, scheduled to air today.
Barrymore agreed, pointing out that older fathers often receive a different reaction from the public. “Oh my God, I mean, it is weird. Men have babies in their, like, 80s and that’s not a euphemism or joke,” Barrymore said. “You had kids in your 40s, and people weren’t always gracious about it.”
Swank then recalled an interaction with a stranger who questioned her decision to have children at an older age. The woman reportedly told the Freedom Writers star she was too old and might not live long enough to see her children grow up.
“There’s one story that I found really interesting, and I think I was attracted to this particular story because this one woman said, ‘How dare you,’” Swank recalled. “‘You’re too old, and you won’t be old enough when your kids are older, and my dad was my favorite person, and he died when I was in my 20s, my early 20s, and it’s just devastation.’”
Hilary Addresses Backlash Over Being An Older Mom
The woman’s comments struck a personal chord with Swank, who also lost her father when she was younger. Rather than viewing the story as a reason not to have children later in life, the actress said she came away with a different perspective.
“And I thought to myself, ‘Well, I would rather be born and have that person that was my favorite person and experience that than not at all,’” Swank revealed. “Do you know what I’m saying? So that’s how I took what she said.”
Her response highlights the deeply personal nature of decisions about parenthood and the different ways people process concerns about age, family and the future.
While Swank’s pregnancy has prompted public discussion, the actress’s comments make clear that she does not view the possibility of losing a parent early in life as a reason to deny someone the chance to experience that relationship. Instead, she emphasized the value of having that bond, even when life does not unfold as expected.
