Hilary Swank says she faces criticism for having a child in her fifties

Actress Hilary Swank said she has encountered criticism for becoming pregnant at age 52, pointing to a double standard that she says affects women more than men when they have children later in life. Swank, who announced her third pregnancy in a recent Instagram post, told host Drew Barrymore that "there’s a lot of backlash women get for having children older but not men, which is interesting."

Barrymore agreed, noting that men often have children in their 80s without similar public outrage, and recalled that Swank faced mixed reactions when she had twins at 48. Swank described her first pregnancy as a "total miracle" after years of wanting a family.

She also referenced a comment from a woman who questioned her age and longevity, saying she related to the sentiment because her own father had died when she was in her early 20s. Swank said she would rather experience life with a loved one than miss it entirely.

The actress shared the pregnancy news via a glow-stick animation on Instagram, captioning it, "A lot of people have been asking what project I’m doing next, this one releases in December."