good evening from los angeles. i'm tavis smiley. tonight, our conversation with two-time oscar winner, hilary swank. this fall, she has two movies out that show her range as an ak tryst, first, "you're not you" a pianist struggling with als and "the homesman." she's determined to take three mentally disturbed women across nebraska territory to a safe haven in iowa. we are glad you joined us in a conversation with hilary swank, coming upright now. ♪

the california endowment, health happens in neighborhoods. learn more. by contributions to pbs stations from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ any role hilary swank takes on catapults to conversations about awards. this fall, she has two movies

out, "you're not you" with emmy rossum and "the homesman." "you're not you" hits theaters first. she's struggling with als. in this scene, we see the toll the terminal illness is taking on her character. >> having drinks for us. >> tom said he saw evan walking. >> great. well, then, drinks means he'll be there all night. that means more time for us. >> congratulations to us. >> will you serve the salmon, please? thank you.

honey, you are just tired. it's going to be a lot easier once you get stronger. >> i'm not getting stronger. please don't say that. i just -- i just hate when people say that. >> how is that for brutal honesty. >> yeah, right? i think that's the thing that terminal illness brings you is to be brutally honest with everything happening in your life. you don't have that much longer to live, so you might as well get real with everything. >> i'm always amazed with the things actors do, have to do, sometimes choose to do. how do you go about researching als as a character? >> well, i was fortunate enough to speak with a couple people who had been diagnosed and were living with als. they were very candid and very, just generous with explaining everything and answering any questions and asking me not to

be shy about questioning them so i could portray the character as honestly as possible. to them, it was important to get it portrayed in a way that was honest. to show the plight of what is happening, we don't know what causes it. we certainly aren't close to having a cure for it and get the word out. >> what do you make, hilary, of the timing of the film coming out with all the als bucket challenges? >> remarkable. it's remarkable. so much about life is about timing. it's wonderful when something like that can draw attention to something that needs attention. >> right. >> -- drawn to it. so, it's great. >> yeah. >> it's not only great that it drew attention to it, but it's great it raised a lot of money to find a cure to eradicate this very sad and horrible disease. >> yeah. as -- as informative and

informative and instrucktive and empowering the bucket challenges have been around als, people don't know what it is. there's something about the idea of having a bucket of ice water poured on their head. it's cool and raises money. it's a beautiful thing. there's nothing like the power of film to get us to wrestle with and understand better what we are up against. >> to see it played out. that's right. anything that the als ice bucket challenge made people aware and gets people started talking about what it is. you are right, telling a story and watching a film unfold to see really what it means and how it affects people is -- i'm really happy to be part of telling the story as a producer and actor. >> what made you -- how did you go about choosing this? glad you said as a producer. this is one of your projects. why did you choose this one? >> to me, this was such a great

story about our roles in life about finding ourselves. it's called "you're not you" -- >> based on a book. >> yes, based on a book. >> the idea to me, what the title means is we are more than we appear to be. this character i was playing with somebody who hadn't felt seen in her life. she hadn't been seen by her husband and the people around her were keeping her contained and in a perfect look and the perfect house. being diagnosed with this, then being cared for by her caretaker, played by emmy rossum. the ability to be seen by this person, two totally unlikely people that come together to be more fully realized and seen. to me,itis a real love story between them. if there's any bright side to -- if that's a word to use being diagnosed with a terminal illness, is you get to the real fact.

there's, you know, think of what you would do if you had a year to live. you would live your life so differently and look at it so differently. you would be grateful for so many different things. to me, that's what this is about, really getting to the real you. >> yeah. since you mentioned emmy rossum, we had her as a guest in the past. it is a beautiful thing to see the relationship. they were poor. you are both great actors. two-time academy award winner. >> thank you. >> that comes across as so authentic on screen. >> thank you. i fought for emmy, i thought she was the perfect beck. you know, as i said, being a producer, i was able to be hands on with all the casting decisions. to me, there was no question she was beck. she em bodied that so much that with all the colors and i loved collaborating with her.

i respect her as a woman and artist and i'm happy to call her my friend now. >> yeah. this project, you can't really tell by the clip we saw. i'm glad we played that clip, but i was -- maybe shocked is too strong of a word, but pleasantly surprised at how funny this movie is in places. >> yes. >> surprisingly funny. >> i think that was an important part of my character's unfolding and finding her realness. she was so uptight and held everything so closely. an important part of that was for emmy's character to say, come on, let loose. live a little. live a little within this. come on. it's kind of profound to say live a little while you are dying, but that's true. there's a lot of laughter she found before her death. that, to me was beautiful. she was able to be realized in that way.

>> since you are the producer and star, i'll let you answer it in a way that doesn't give it away too much. we were talking about emmy rossen, playing your caretaker. your character is married. what do you want to say about that without giving too much of the story away? >> well, i would say, actually, that i think that a grave illness like this, people respond differently. it's important to portray that in telling a story. some people really step up to the plate and show up and say i'm here for you. other people shy away and say it's too much to handle. :r(!kár"es of that are completely understandable. so, it was important to show that. josh plays my husband. again, i felt like in casting him, we know him more for his more funny roles and comedic side. it was nice to give someone the opportunity to play the

emotional side of things and see him go there. >> i get your point, i don't disagree with you, hilary, when you are suffering with a disease like this, people respond in different ways. it doesn't make it any easier on the person who is trying to navigate the disease when people think or know love them end up not being able to handle it. i thought about that watching this. i understand that, you know, again, these diseases take a toll on the caregivers and the loved ones. >> yes. yes. >> it can't be easy for the person going through it to feel abandoned. >> yes, and i think, also, being a woman and, i think, just women have it in them to take care of other people and put other people first. when you are diagnosed with something like this and unable to care for other people and to take it a step further, they have to take care of you. the guilt it puts on a woman, on

a person. i'm sure men feel the same way in certain instances. i think it's our nurturing, it's in us to nurture other people. to be put in a position where it's taken away and we need to ask people to help us, it's a challenging position to be put in. i understand her struggles. i feel guilty. this isn't the life he chose or what he asked for. the character says, neither did you. it's like she never thought of that. so, that's the beauty of different people's relationships in our lives. allowing us the opportunity to look at things in a different way than we see it. >> yeah. i mentioned earlier how funny this movie is in certain scenes. it was quite hilarious in this scene to see your caregiver, beck, emmy rossum's character, when your voice starts to go,

interpreting for you to him and others. certainly, what you are trying to say. when you weren't being as forthcoming as you should have been. she pretty much -- >> said it how it was. >> kind of funny. >> yes. >> the reason i'm asking this question, there's a -- >> how often would you like to be that person? i'll tell him what you say. >> i have a guy named daniel who says that. tell them what i want to say. >> can you do that for me sometime? >> everybody on the staff knows. i don't want to say it, danny, tell them what i'm feeling. >> danny, i need your number. >> he's good at it, too. sometimes too good. there's a question i want to ask as a follow up. the first question, how long were you filming this? >> approximately two months. >> i ask that because, what kind

of toll does it take on you, the person, hilary swank, when you are embedding yourself in this character for eight weeks? >> let me preface by saying it's hard, in a way, to answer that. it was very difficult. i ultimately step out every day and am able to use my body and i'm not paralyzed. the hardest thing is to understand people are living with this disease right now. they are dying of this disease right now. so, more than anything, that affected me greatly. take it a step further, losing the weight to make it believable, not moving, the emotions that you go to when you are dealing with the stuff that's happening between the husband and death and all the questions that brings up. you can't -- you can say to

yourself, this isn't really happening. i'm acting. yet your body is going through those emotions. itis hard to separate. again, touching, hitting the depth of knowing someone is living with this and suffering greatly with it is really hard to wrap your head around. >> you said in preparation you spent time with people, we saw pictures a moment ago. you spent time with folks with als. you are producing it, starring it in, looking at the dailies i assume. how do you know when you have done on screen what you wanted to do or intended to do or you have gotten it right? you are not living with it every day? how do you know when you get it right? >> there's a couple ways to answer that. do as much research as possible, talking to als patients, working closely with a nurse that works with a handful of als patients.

i worked with her three weeks solid every day. where your body becomes paralyzed, where it doesn't. when your voice comes in. >> which you nailed, by the way. i was impressed. that voice thing. >> thank you. it's so important. like i said, in order to tell it honestly and show the trial and tribulations. the thing is, you don't shoot an order. you go, here and here. it doesn't give much room for the editor to move around. if you are at this point, they can't use that another point and time. you were supposed to not be able to understand me, therefore emmy's character was translating for me. yet, when she's not translating for me, how do you make it just barely understandable so the audience doesn't need a translat translator. scenes between her and i, that was the biggest challenge of just getting to that place.

but, again, this for me, is where my passion lies as an actor, to em body and understand. it's always a scary thing, like can i actually do it? when you have the people around you that are there to help you and support you and you can lean on them and have them on set for the harder scenes. like the nurse would say, when you fall out of bed, it wouldn't be possible to pull you that way or this way. to have them is important. >> you said a couple things. you are reading my mind in terms of where i want to take the conversation. let me start with this, hilary. you said a moment ago, as an actor, i'm paraphrasing, the sweet spot for you is looking at something you are afraid of and asking, can i pull this off. i get that. we all want to challenge ourselves. why does that particular fear for some drive people away and

they decide they don't want to take that risk. it might be a quantum leap for me, versus people like myself who jump in with both feet? >> i don't know. in the end, you have to ask them. maybe it's not where their passion lies. >> let me ask you -- why does the fear attract you? >> it's a really good question. i think part of it is who i am. leo's like a challenge. i'm a leo through and through. i like to challenge myself in every way, not just my life as an actor or artist, pushing myself constantly. i don't want to wrestle my lawyers. i want to do something that scares me. that challenges me. it's me in my every day life. i want to, you know, whether i'm doing sports. i'm learning to play tennis. i'm obsessed with it. i just want to be -- i like to compete with myself. it's a good way to say it. i like to challenge myself,

whether it's learning a new language or trying something new. it's just, it's passionate to me. that's a passion of mine. >> you take on these characters, i take that answer, but you take on these characters that are physically challenging. it's more than emotion. >> yeah. to me, i guess -- you know, i became an actor because i love people and love their stories. i love what makes you and i similar and different. essentially, as an actor, i get to walk in other people's shoes and see life through different people's lives in a profound way. really profound. it doesn't just make me grow as an artist, it gives me the opportunity to grow as a human being. to understand -- i mean obviously, you scratch the surface of what it's like. i go back to being me at the end of the night.

to embody that and understand what it feels like, it gives me this great ability to emphasize. one with other people. there's no other way of saying it. i love that. i like to travel the world, seeing your world map behind you. i love that. i love to celebrate people's differences and yet feel connected in our sameness. >> you mentioned earlier in our conversation this is one of your projects. it seems to me, to your point about acting allowing you to revel in the humanity of other people -- >> yeah. >> it seems to me when you do your own project, you get to choose what you want to do. art, at its best doesn't preach to us. it entertains us and empowers

us. how do you go about making choices for the stuff you want to produce. you pick things making a statement. the good news is, we are not being preached about it. >> thank you. you are right it gives us that ability to see something and connect to it, learn from it or be entertained by it. that's the beauty, i think, of film. for me, i am in this blessed position, ultimately, because material gets sent to me now. doesn't mean i don't go out and search for great things i want to bring to life. for the most part, they come across my desk. this book was brought to my producing partner molly smith and my company and we have a great book that was brought to me. if it's a script, you know, it's my agent will read something and say i found this and i love it for you. i will read it right away.

i'm always looking for magazine articles or a script from my own submission for people. someone stops you on the street, i have this great script. i'm going to read it. you never know where the next great story is going to be. >> you want to do more of this? >> acting? >> no, the producing. >> yes, actually. >> i hope you want to do more acting. >> me, too. i can't imagine, it brings so much joy to my life, i can't imagine not being an actor. i want to keep producing and i think it gives you -- it gives me the ability to tell stories i'm not in either. i can be a part of telling great stories. >> you are in "homesman". >> yes. >> i'm anxious to see this. tell me about this tommy lee jones project. >> this is another opportunity i got to play a character that to me, i don't like to pick

favorites and say this character was my favorite. they have a special place in your heart. it's like picking your favorite child. to me, this woman is so beautiful in who she is and what she embodies. she has values. she has manners. she has morals. i think we are really living in a day and age where we lost touch with that. she does the right thing because you should do the right thing, not because she's looking for a cause or love. it's the way it should be. i love that about her. it's a feminist movie. it deals with the objectification and trivialization of women. this is what woman now are dealing with in 2014. it's timely. it transcends time in that nature. i find it really interesting that tommy lee jones, who, you know, a lot of people go, wow,

what was that like? you know, people have a lot of stereotypes with him. he's intense and rough. to me, it shows how much heart he has and how we constantly like to stereotype. it kind of busts open the stereotype of him. he co-wrote it. it's a story that was important for him to tell. >> you work with great directors. you are close friends with clint eastwood. what do you take away from having the chance to work with these great directors? >> so much. you know, with clint -- clint was such a reminder to trust your instincts. he's not -- he's not super hands on as a director, he's definitely there and you can see his hand print all over it. he's a reminder, i hired you because i believe in you. he's a reminder to trust your

instincts. tommy lee is a reminder, he's got this brilliant mind. he makes me want to work harder. he makes me want to learn more. he makes me want to go back to school. so, it's great all these pieces you can take away from everyone you work with. >> the project is called "you're not you." that's the first project produced by and starring hilary swa swank, then "homesman" with tommy lee jones and meryl streep. november 14th, glad your people told you. >> thank you, it's lovely to be here. it's nice to have a real conversation. >> you make it easy. >> thanks. >> that's the show tonight. thanks for watching. as always, keep the faith. sfrend

♪ for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. >> i'm tavis smiley. next time, join me with a conversation with nick kristof. that's next time. see you then. ♪

the california endowment help happens in neighborhoods. learn more. >> by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪

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