October 20, 2026, 3:24 p.m. ET
NEW YORK − Hilary Swank arrives in SoHo on a day that’s almost too warm and sunny for October, wearing a rainbow knit cardigan. Barely 24 hours earlier, news broke that the “Yellow Vests” star was pregnant with her third child at 52.
During her pregnancy, health is at the forefront of her concerns. But it’s already taking center stage – not just for herself, but also in the work she does to help other parents make informed choices about their children’s health.
Although Swank is widely known for her Academy Award-winning roles in “Million Dollar Baby” and “Boys Don’t Cry,” she has spent recent years advocating for maternal and child health. As chief innovation officer at HeathyBaby, a clean baby care and maternal health brand founded in 2020, Swank supported the passage of a new California law that requires diaper manufacturers to disclose all ingredients used directly on the package and online. She wrote a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom asking for his support, and the bill passed in September.
Swank’s advocacy resonates with a growing number of parents concerned about what’s happening in their children’s foods and products, whether it’s navigating recalls or fighting artificial additives.
At an event space in SoHo, we sit in the far corner of the room, light streaming in through the windows and a mural of evergreens on the opposite wall. The lush green trees remind Swank of her own garden in the Pacific Northwest, where she grew up. She moved to Los Angeles at age 16, but eventually found her way back to her home state of Washington. It’s the perfect segue into our conversation about natural ingredients, healthier choices, and choosing parental empowerment over fear.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
QUESTION: Do you feel like your connection to nature guides your advocacy work and do you want the products you use on your children to be as natural as possible?
Answer: Of course. First of all, I think it’s really important that whatever we make, build or create, we are at the same time kind to the earth. I don’t think people understand the impact that creating things (has) on our Earth. We just think about their impact on our bodies, but they also have a huge impact on our Earth. And so, if we can find companies that are also responsible in that way, that’s very important to me. Growing up in such an environment makes nature part of my family. I love Mother Earth and want to do everything I can to protect her.
While you were pregnant with your twins, you learned that sometimes products marked as safe for children aren’t always necessarily so. How did this realization come about? Was it a series of moments just looking at different products, or did something really strike you?
That’s a great question because, first of all, they might not even be considered healthy. And sometimes, yes, they are marked as healthy and they are not. There is now a word for it: “greenwashing”. You say it’s clean, but when you dive deeper, it’s not really. This is what led me to the Environmental Working Group. They are the reference for me. If they approve it, that means everything in it is healthy, and they break down what wouldn’t be healthy so you can make a choice. (…) People need to be informed about what they put in their bodies. Naturally, you see something on a shelf and think it’s passed rigorous testing. So we all buy it and think, “It wouldn’t be here if it didn’t suit us.” » But that’s simply not the case. (…) Children from 0 to 3 years old, in terms of their development, they are so sensitive, much more than us. We all have these problems later in life and we don’t know what caused them, but it comes from the very beginning. So when you learn more, you can’t ignore it. I started doing this deep dive, and that’s what made me realize that if I want to get pregnant and live a long life, I have to make choices for myself. And if (the companies) are not transparent about these bottles, I will not be able to make a choice. I’m still learning so much, I’m learning all the time… It’s never too late to make changes.
You are pregnant again, how has this influenced or reshaped your relationship with your advocacy work and your work with HealthyBaby?
From the start with my twins, I was absolutely horrified by the presence of permitted ingredients. It’s not just about my kids, it’s about everyone learning what I’ve learned and using my platform responsibly to be able to share this information so mothers and caregivers can make their choices. It’s about making a choice that suits us. If you don’t know, then you’re just in the dark. So once people learn, they can make their own choices. This is what I want for everyone.
How has becoming a mother later in life influenced your relationship with your own well-being?
I have always been very health conscious and conscious with what I eat. I view food as energy, as fuel for a machine. I’m just trying to be healthy. Don’t get me wrong, I do unhealthy things. I eat unhealthy things. But I don’t do it to the point where it becomes excessive on one side or the other. I’m just trying to live a balanced life, and I know that’s what everyone says, but it’s really important.
There is a lot of fear about what parents give their children. I have spoken and spoken to many moms who are concerned about food safety and all the different additives, ingredients or products their children are exposed to. How can parents turn this fear into power?
Our bodies are resilient… (and) it’s not too late. People can start to detox, if you really look at everything that’s actually happening in your body and on your body. (…) This is simply ongoing due diligence. You can’t really give up because right now there’s not a lot of laws in place for some of these things that are sold as ingredients (that are) toxic to your body. So you just need to do your own homework.
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