Hilary Swank

Hilary Ann Swank (born July 30, 1974) is an American actress. Her Hollywood film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid (1994), where she played Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of the sensei Mr. Miyagi. She has become known for her two Academy Award-winning performances: first as Brandon Teena, a transgender man in the movie Boys Don't Cry, and a struggling waitress-turned-boxer, Maggie Fitzgerald, in Million Dollar Baby.




Hilary Swank was born in Lincoln, Nebraska,[1] the daughter of Judy (née Clough), a secretary and dancer, and Stephen Swank, who was an officer in the Air National Guard and later a traveling salesman.[2] She has a brother, Dan. Many of her family members hail from Ringgold County, Iowa.[3] Swank came from humble beginnings, particularly as a child growing up in a trailer park near Lake Samish in Bellingham, Washington,[4] to which she moved at age six,[1] after having lived in Spokane, Washington. Swank has described her younger self as an "outsider" who felt that she belonged "only when [reading] a book or [seeing] a movie, and could get involved with a character," and was thus inspired to become an actress.[5]

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When Swank was nine years old, she made her first appearance on stage starring in The Jungle Book. She became involved in school and community theater programs, including those of the Bellingham Theatre Guild. She went to Sehome High School[6] in Bellingham until she was sixteen. Swank also competed in the Junior Olympics and the Washington state championships in swimming; she ranked fifth in the state in all-around gymnastics[1] (which would come in handy when starring in The Next Karate Kid (1994) years later). Swank's parents separated when she was thirteen,[1] and her mother, supportive of her daughter's desire to act, moved to Los Angeles, where they lived out of their car until Swank's mother saved enough money to rent an apartment.[4] Swank has described her mother as the inspiration for her acting career and her life.[7] In California, Swank enrolled in South Pasadena High School (although she later dropped out of school[8]) and started acting professionally. She helped pay the rent with the money she earned appearing in television programs such as Evening Shade and Growing Pains.

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Lara Logan - Heating things up in the Middle East

After a search, I has dug up some of the photos that explain why every story written about CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan includes a description of her as a "former swimsuit model"-- and, most important, why the globe trotting sex symbol is known in the British tabloids as "34D Lara."

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These photos were supposedly taken during her days as "student and part-time model," and though her superiors and colleagues take pains to remind us that the 36-year-old South African is a courageous, experienced and knowledgeable journalist, it should pointed out that the photos were first mentioned slyly by Lara herself during an interview when her career was still in a need of traction on the uphill climb, and that despite any objections on the grounds of sexism, the "swimsuit issue" is actually kept alive by CBS News publicists and again, Lara herself, as in

yesterday's publicity blitz, in which the New York Times pointed out that when she arrived in Pakistan over the weekend for an exclusive interview with president Pervez Musharraf, "her suitcase with bikinis and other beachwear made it to Islamabad; the suitcase with the rest of her clothes did not."






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Lara Logan, the chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News, tells The Washington Post she is pregnant, and the father is a married federal contractor whom she met while stationed in Iraq.

Logan's relationship with Joseph Burkett — who's in the midst of a divorce from wife Kimberly, with whom he has a 3-year-old daughter — has made media headlines, including the front page of the New York Post.

Logan is going through a divorce from estranged husband Jason Siemon, a Chicago-based energy lobbyist whom she married in 1998.

"Nobody likes to read about themselves like that, especially the way it's been sensationalized," Logan, 37, told The Washington Post. "I hated it. But I'm just going to rise above it and keep going."

Logan, whose pregnancy was unplanned, told the newspaper her due date is in January, and she's "looking forward to being a mom."

Logan — a South Africa native who began dating Burkett following her November breakup with CNN correspondent Michael Ware — said she and Burkett plan to marry eventually.





Logan's publicist, Tom Keaney, declined to comment.

The reporter — known for her intrepid war coverage — was promoted to CBS' chief foreign affairs correspondent last month, and is based in Washington.

Logan, a contributor to "60 Minutes," has won numerous reporting accolades, including an Emmy and Overseas Press Club Award.

ANA IVANOVIC - The Serbian Tennis Beauty

ANA IVANOVIC began working with Scott Byrnes (strength and conditioning coach) in July 2006 ... Started playing tennis at age 5 after watching it on TV (in particular Monica Seles), remembering the phone number to a local tennis school and begging her parents to take her; was given a racquet for her fifth birthday and immediately fell in love with the game ... Mother, Dragana, is a lawyer; father, Miroslav, is a businessman; brother, Milos, is four years Ana's junior, and likes playing basketball; all the family likes sports, but none played tennis before Ana ... Best shot is forehand; likes all surfaces ... Likes watching movies (especially thrillers) either at the cinema or on DVD at home; also likes to read (especially about history and Greek mythology) and to listen to music (pop and R&B) ... Loves the TV shows 24, Lost and Prison Break ... Enjoys shopping, fashion ... Favorite food is sushi ... Favorite drink is water, fresh orange juice ... In September 2007 began studying finance at a private university that allows her to take exams online ... Admires Federer for his professionalism on and off the court ... Superstitions are to not walk on lines of the court, and at some tournaments to eat at the same restaurant each night ... Sometimes prepares for matches by playing Sudoku or backgammon in locker room ... Favorite places to visit are Melbourne, where she has some family, London and Paris ... Self-described as strong-willed, sensitive, determined and extremely competitive ... Most admires her family for all the support they give her ... Speaks fluent English, Serbian and some Spanish ... Most memorable experiences to date are reaching 2007 Roland Garros final and playing a charity match against Agassi.



Residence Basel, Switzerland

Date of Birth November 6, 1987

Birthplace Belgrade, Serbia

Height 6'1 (1.86 m)

Weight 152 lbs. (69 kg)


Ana Ivanovic will be the new No. 1 player on the Sony Ericcson WTA Tour on Monday, and it'll only be a matter of time until she's a household name in the United States. Ivanovic has the rare combination of beauty and skill that translates on and off the court. She has the work ethic and credibility to ward off the inevitable comparisons that will be made with other over-marketed female stars and the legitimate appeal to attract everyone from fans to sponsors alike.

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Ivanovic fought off her compatriot Jelena Jankovic in a hard-fought French Open semifinal encounter on Thursday that revealed both Ivanovic's steely resolve as well as her vulnerability. She has yet to win a Grand Slam, having lost two finals in the past year -- at the 2007 French Open to Justine Henin and this year's Australian Open to Maria Sharapova.

With Henin abruptly retiring and Sharapova's continued discomfort on clay, Ivanovic has tread on uncommon territory at this year's French: the role of the favorite. She hasn't even seemed overly fazed, except with the occasional hiccups on her serve.

One of Ivanovic's best qualities is her ability to push through her nerves and play aggressively when it matters most. True to that point, she sealed the match on Thursday with two trademark winners off her favorite shot, her forehand. In fact, her forehand is one of the biggest weapons on the women's tour. It's a spitting image of Steffi Graf's forehand, a strong compliment considering Graf had arguably the best forehand in the history of women's tennis.



Ana Ivanovic has also made huge strides in the past year, due in no small part to her dedication to her fitness. She knew that she needed to get stronger and in better shape in order to reach her goals and, after training hard, she's noticeably quicker and her footwork is more precise. Everyone thinks tennis is mainly about hitting the ball, but the feet and legs are what get one in position to hit the ball most effectively. It's this improved movement that allows Ivanovic to most effectively combine her natural offensive skills with her newly enhanced defensive skills, thus putting considerably greater pressure on her opponents throughout a match.

Ultimately, Ivanovic will soon have America eating out of the palm of her hand. She is charming, sweet and totally endearing. I'm actually staying at the same hotel as her here in Paris, so I see her at breakfast every morning and occasionally out at dinner. Her demeanor is always both friendly and inviting. She has a quiet confidence about her and seems to genuinely enjoy the new challenges that are in front of her as opposed to being weighed down by the burden, as many are.

It might just be that it is all new to her, but I doubt it. I hope after she has won a host of Grand Slams, has Web sites dedicated to her every move and is endorsing everything from toothpaste to orange juice that she still smiles just as innocently. Whether it's this Saturday, next month at Wimbledon or three months from now at the U.S. Open, I have no doubt Ivanovic will hoist a Grand Slam trophy over her head soon.