Hilary Swank Responds to Backlash After Announcing She's Expecting Third Baby Aged 52
Hilary Swank has addressed the backlash surrounding her becoming a mom again.
Oct. 16 2026, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Hilary Swank has hit back at naysayers criticizing her for becoming a mom again at age 53, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Oscar winner announced this week that she’s expecting her third child, having welcomed twins Aya and Ohm in 2023 at 48 with her husband, Philip Schneider, 52.
Hilary Swank Hits Out At 'Double Standards'
Swank says older men don't get the same heat when their partners are expecting.
However, the reaction wasn’t all positive. She addressed the backlash during an upcoming appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show airing on Tuesday, October 20.
There's a lot of backlash women get for having children older but not men, which is interesting," Swank said.
Barrymore, who is a mother of two, said the double standard is "weird," noting that "men have babies in their, like, 80s, and that's not a euphemism or a joke."
She added: "You had kids in your 40s, and people weren’t always gracious about it."
The Million Dollar Baby star recalled a woman saying to her: "How dare you? You're too old."
Hilary Swank Recalls Tense Conversation With Fellow Mom
Swank told of an encounter she had with a mom who questioned her having kids late in life.
Swank noted that the woman told her that her dad was her "favorite person" and had died when she was in her 20s, calling the experience "devastation."
But rather than take offense, the movie star attempted to relate to the woman's position
"I related to it because my dad (has) also passed, but he was one of my favorite people on earth," she explained. "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 announced on Instagram on Wednesday, October 14, that she’s set to welcome her third child with Schneider.
Shock Baby Announcement
The Oscar winner revealed she is expecting her third baby this week.
In the video clip, Swank, Schneider, and their twins danced with glow sticks taped to their outfits, with the lights out. Swank proudly displayed her bump, adorned with a glow-stick baby, as she danced with her family.
"A lot of people have been asking what project I'm doing next; this one releases in December," she captioned the announcement.
The Hollywood star responded in the comments to a fan who said the news had given her "hope' for her own future.
An Instagram follower commented: "At 39 I'm still single and childless. You are literally giving me hope that the life I want could still happen for me. Congratulations to you and your beautiful family."
Swank replied: "Thank you! It can! I always go by the adage, things happen in their time, not ours, and that has always been the case for me."
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Swank and husband Philip Schneider welcomed twins in 2023
She added, "But of course, trusting that, for me, has always been the hardest part. Wishing you unwavering trust and abundant beauty on your journey!"
Swank and Schneider met through mutual friends on a blind date. Swank later recalled to a publication that they spent the day together, meeting at 10 a.m. and parting ways at 11 p.m.
Schneider proposed during a trip to Colorado, and the pair married in August 2018 at the Santa Lucia Preserve near Carmel, California. Their outdoor wedding reflected their shared appreciation for nature and the outdoors, Swank noted.
Schneider is a social venture entrepreneur who has largely stayed out of the public eye despite his marriage to one of Hollywood's best-known actresses. His work focuses on business ventures with a social purpose.
