Hilary Swank and Chloë Sevigny in Boys Don't Cry

Hilary Swank is thinking about how her film, Boys Don’t Cry, would be different if made today.

The US actor won an Oscar for the 2000 drama, but in a new interview, she said she’d appreciate seeing a transgender actor play the part of Brandon Teena, a man who was killed in a transphobic hate crime in 1993.

Speaking to The Times, Hilary said: “Now for the most part, in most places, it’s accepted to be a trans person. [But] at that time, people weren’t even coming out as gay and lesbian, it was a career killer, or whatever.”

“They weren’t ready to tell their family, or maybe they weren’t even ready to tell themselves,” she continued. “We’re in such different times — I feel like it would be a great opportunity for an actor who’s trans to play that role.”

However, Hilary added that she isn’t opposed to cisgender actors playing trans roles, saying: “I also feel like actors are actors.”

“We are supposed to play different people,” she said. “I would like to hope trans people are getting the opportunity to play non-trans people as well.”

Hilary Swank pictured in February

Hilary told The Times she still sees Boys Don’t Cry as an important part of bringing trans experiences into public view.

“It was a jumping-off board to start a conversation that was needed,” she explained. “And we need this conversation to continue until everyone’s leading a safe life.”

Hilary previously spoke about what Boys Don’t Cry meant for transgender representation in a 2020 interview with Variety.

She said that while “trans people weren’t really walking around in the world” openly in 2000, two decades later, there are a “bunch of trans actors who would obviously be a lot more right for the role”.

Help and support:

The Gender Trust supports anyone affected by gender identity | 01527 894 838
Mermaids offers information, support, friendship and shared experiences for young people with gender identity issues | 0208 1234819
LGBT Youth Scotland is the largest youth and community-based organisation for LGBT people in Scotland. Text 07786 202 370
Gires provides information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them | 01372 801554
Depend provides support, advice and information for anyone who knows, or is related to, a transsexual person in the UK

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