Hilary Swank responds to criticism over expecting third child at 52

Hilary Swank has earned acclaim for her performances in films such as Boys Don’t Cry and Million Dollar Baby, but the actor has also spoken openly about her journey into motherhood. Now expecting her third child at 52, Swank has addressed the criticism women face when they choose to have children later in life, pointing to what she sees as a double standard between mothers and fathers.

Hilary Swank highlights double standards around older motherhood

In a clip from the upcoming episode of The Drew Barrymore Show in New York City, the Hollywood actress who is pregnant with her third child at the age of 52 opened up backlash women are facing for older motherhood but not men. Swank also recalled an encounter with a woman who questioned her decision to have children later in life.

Also Read: Hilary Swank is pregnant at 52! Actress expecting her third child with husband Philip Schneider

She said, "There's a lot of backlash women get for having children older than men, which is interesting." Drew Barrymore noted and replied to this, "Oh my god, I mean, it is weird; men have babies in their like eighties, and that’s not a euphemism or a joke. You had kids in your forties, and people weren’t always gracious about it."

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Hilary responded, "Yeah. 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. You’re too old and you won’t be old enough when your kids are older, and my dad was my favourite person, and he died when I was in my twenties.'

Also Read: Twins! Actress Hilary Swank gives birth at 48; says, 'It wasn't easy, but worth it'

“My early twenties and it’s just devastation,” and I related to it because my dad is also passed but he was one of my favourite people on earth, and so I was drawn to that, and I thought to myself, "Well, I would rather be born and have that person that was my favourite person and experience that than not at all. Do you know what I’m saying? So that’s how I took what she said," Hilary said.

Hilary Swank is expecting her third child at 52

Hilary Swank announced on October 14 that she and her husband Philip Schneider, are expecting their third child. She shared the news in a playful Instagram video featuring the couple and their twins, Aya and Ohm, who were born in April 2023.

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The Hollwyood actress is the daughter of Judy Kay Swank and the late Stephen Michael Swank, who served in the US Air Force and passed away in 2021. Hilary Swank has been married to an entrepreneur since August 2018. The actress welcomed the twins at the age of 48 after previously discussing her decision to freeze her eggs. She has also spoken about how becoming a mother later in life has shaped her approach to parenting. She was previously married to actor Chad Lowe from 1997 to 2007.