Pregnant Hilary Swank responds to backlash about women having babies later in life

Hilary Swank reflected on societal double standards and backlash while addressing her newly announced pregnancy at the age of 52.

“There’s a lot of backlash women get for having children older but not men, which is interesting,” she told Drew Barrymore in a clip from an upcoming interview, set to air Oct. 20.

Barrymore — who is a mother of two — responded that the double standard is “weird,” noting that “men have babies in their like 80s, and that’s not a euphemism or a joke.”

She added, “You had kids in your 40s, and people weren’t always gracious about it.”

The “Million Dollar Baby” star — who welcomed twins Aya and Ohm in 2023 at the age of 48 with husband Philip Schneider — recalled a woman saying to her, “How dare you? You’re too old.”

Swank noted that the woman told her that her dad was her “favorite person” and that he passed away when she was in her 20s, calling the experience “devastation.”

Rather than take offense, the two-time Oscar winner attempted to relate to the woman’s position.

“I related to it because my dad [has] also passed, but he was one of my favorite people on earth,” she explained.

“I thought to myself, ‘well, I would rather be born and have that person that was my favorite person and experience that than not at all,’” she said.

Swank announced via Instagram on Wednesday that she’s set to welcome her third child with Schneider.

In the video clip, Swank, Schneider, and their twins danced in what appeared to be glow sticks taped to their outfits, with the lights out.

Swank proudly displayed her baby bump, featuring a glow “stick baby” as she danced with her family.

“A lot of people have been asking what project I’m doing next, this one releases in December. 😉👼🏼🫶🏼,” she captioned the announcement.

She was subsequently spotted arriving for Barrymore’s eponymous talk show in New York City, sporting her bare baby bump, on Thursday.