10 Questions for Hilary Swank

By Julie Rawe

In The Reaping, you play a character who was a believer and lost her faith. Was there a time in your own life when you lost your faith? Jodi-Ann Lyons, ALBANY, N.Y.

Nothing has made me lose my faith, but there have definitely been times when you question it. I think it's just a matter of how you look at your experiences and how you learn from them.

Did working on this film confirm or negate any of your own personal religious views? Erin Collins, ATLANTA

I think it's interesting to learn about lots of different people's opinions and life and the way they look at it. I'm always open-minded, but it didn't change my beliefs.

What role has impacted you or how you view the world the most? Shelley Katzer, SPENCER, IOWA

A lot of my roles afforded me the opportunity to look at life in ways that I wouldn't have had I not been an actor. Probably the one that was most different from my life was Brandon Teena in Boys Don't Cry. I went around passing as a boy for four weeks. That was my research. It was a completely different way to experience life than I'd ever known. I find these characters to be very similar to me too. Brandon Teena was a person who wanted to find love and be accepted for how Teena Brandon or Brandon Teena saw themselves. I think we all want to be accepted for who we are and find love.

I recently saw Freedom Writers and was amazed by how small and feminine you looked in comparison to your appearance in Million Dollar Baby. How did you get rid of all that muscle? Gerardo V. Perez, MEXICO CITY

I just stopped working out five hours a day and stopped eating 210 grams of protein a day, and slowly--it took a while--the muscle just went away.

How do you manage to keep your private life private? I don't read as much about you in magazines compared to the rest of the celebrities, or is it that I read the wrong magazines? Chantele Pereira, DUBAI

First of all, I love that question because I've gotten into this business because I love acting and I love stories. I don't feel like I'm a celebrity. I like to talk about my movies because I believe in my movies. But as far as my private life, I like to keep my private life as private as I can.

My 12-year-old daughter says she wants to be an actress. What advice would you give her? Linda Richardson SPRINGFIELD, VA.

To become an actress? I would say start doing school plays, enroll in your drama class, learn more about acting through your local theater. That's what I did.

What do you think of the duty a celebrity has to help the less fortunate? John Tin Mak, KENT, OHIO

Well, I think that one of the side effects of my job, without me even trying, is that I'm a role model. It's a great feeling when people come up to me and talk about my story and how it inspired them to work harder or to believe in themselves and not give up. I never got into this business for that, but it's nice to hear.

You vs. Ralph Macchio. The All Valley Karate Championship. Who wins? Shane Kort , HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C.

[Laughs.] I don't know. It would be a good fight.

Would you come to Forward Operating Base Warhorse here in Iraq? It is loaded with fans of yours. Captain Brad O'Brien FOB WARHORSE, IRAQ

That's so sweet and kind and nice of him to write in and ask. Absolutely, I think it would be fun to come and visit. My job is to entertain, and I'd like to bring some relief in any way that I could.

Also, did you ever consider changing your last name for Hollywood? Swank is, I believe, a rather graphic skin mag. Captain Brad O'Brien FOB WARHORSE, IRAQ

Well, it's no relation to my family. People have brought it up to me before, but, nope, I'm gonna keep the name. It's working for me so far.

To read more answers from Hilary Swank and to submit questions for upcoming interview subjects, go to time.com/10questions