It’s time for a Hollywood history lesson! In early 2006, Hilary Swank and Chad Lowe split up after ten years of marriage. There was some back and forth for a few months when it looked like they might get back together, but then Hilary started being seen around LA with a “mystery man”. The man turned out to be John Campisi, her agent. Her agent who was married with a small child. Around the same time (mid-2006), Hilary gave a somewhat infamous Vanity Fair interview in which she publicly called out Chad Lowe for his addiction issues. Some people thought Hilary was being plainspoken and direct. Some thought she was being off-side and bitchy by airing such personal details about her estranged husband.
Anyway, Chad and Hilary’s divorce eventually came through, and quietly, along that same time period, John Campisi divorced his wife. Hilary and John always claimed that John and his wife were separated when he and Hilary got together, and Hilary has always claimed that they were simply friends for a long time (friends that went on a lot of date-like activities for a year) before becoming romantic. And that’s the way it’s been ever since 2006 – Hilary and John lived together, they openly discussed the possibility of marriage and children (well, she discussed it in interviews)… and now Hilary and John are over.
It wasn’t quite a summer of love for Hilary Swank. A rep for the actress exclusively confirms to PEOPLE that she and boyfriend John Campisi have ended their five-year relationship. The pair split earlier this summer.
The Oscar winner, who has spent the majority of the summer filming Mary & Martha with Brenda Blethyn in South Africa and Wilmington, N.C., and Campisi began dating in 2007.
In 2010, Swank spoke to InStyle about the possibility of getting married again, after her split with ex-husband Chad Lowe.
“Friends of mine and I talk about this. Does someone come into your life for a certain time, and then you are supposed to go your separate ways?” she asked at the time. “There’s a part of me that thinks that’s true.”
My radar is up for possible scandals involving this breakup, and I’m sure some of you will be reviewing old blind items to see what fits. It could be a case of two mature adults simply growing apart and ending their relationship on their terms. Or it could be something juicier. I don’t know at this point. I will say this – I don’t think Swank’s reputation has recovered from last year’s scandal in which Hilary was one of several celebrities paid to make a personal appearance at a Chechen despot’s birthday party. Hilary faced a barrage of criticism, she was forced to offer a somewhat weak apology (but did she give the money back?), and she has been keeping a significantly lower profile ever since. I’m actually thinking that the huge hit Hilary took from that might have affected her relationship with Campisi.
This is just an aside for those of you who followed this Swank-Campisi story for years – do you think Swank regrets all of her public discussion about John Campisi’s young son? She talked about her relationship with Campisi’s son at several interviews over the years, and she even discussed walking around naked in front of the kid. Her Gisele-like public announcements regarding this kid always bothered me.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
Hmm, the thing last year could have had an effect if he was still acting as her agent at the time?
Meh. In the scheme of things she hasn’t done much wrong. It’s certainly been a big year for separations.
This sounds jucier than I thought…will be interesting if/when more comes out.
Ew. The look like brother and sister!!
More like Brother and Brother.
(ha)
I hated what she did in that Vanity Fair interview. She said it so she could be the victim, she said it so she could make headlines. I find her so fake. That picture of her eating a burger after winning an Oscar SO annoyed me. Look at me!! I’m so normal and down to earth! Isn’t it cool of me to go eat a burger with my Oscar? Really, she’s annoying, that’s why they split.
Either that, or she could be a lesbian.
I was thinking the same thing. She looks like a boy and both of her men have been very feminine type of guys. And I do not recall the hate over the burger but I agree with you I do not pay attention when they show behind the scenes footages of models/actresses eating pizza and or donuts when you know that is bs. I am happy for anyone who looks fabulous but don’t try to pretend you eat all that crap when we know it is a big fat lie. Just be honest either you are blessed with extremely good genes and/or you take very good care of yourself.
I think the scandal will be her cheating with her female co-star.
She dumped her husband after she was awarded her second Oscar. I’ve never cared for her look/style/acting.
I just remember watching her acceptance speech for the first Oscar and feeling so bad for him that she didn’t even bother to thank him. He was sitting there crying his eyes out with pride and love, and she didn’t even mention him. Ugh. What a jerk. 🙁 I always liked Chad Lowe.
Oh, hey. Here’s the clip…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zD5L-ja8O0
They split because he was cheating on her with Bieber (proof: 3rd picture)
I was thinking Daniel Tosh.
I thought the exact same thing! They do look like brother and sister.
I’ve never liked her OR her acting. Incredibly self-involved, even by Hollywood standards. Her speech for her 2nd Oscar was ridic.
Maybe it’s just me but I always think that Hilary Swank looks like Justin Bieber!
She gets on my last nerve.
Wonder what she’ll say about this one now that they’ve split.
I don’t blame her for ending her marriage if Chad had substance abuse issues, but spilling that in an interview after they’d split was a bad move.
I just finished reading about the Gwyneth, and looking at this… I have to say – all scandal aside, natch – Hilary looks like she hasn’t changed or aged at all!!!
He reminds me of Mark Anthony
Maybe Hilary and Mariska Hargitay are ready to finally come out as a couple…?!
I wouldn’t be surprised if cheating by one or both was involved, because look at how they got together in the first place! (This was a big story in 2006, as it was strongly “rumoured” that neither was actually separated/divorced PRIOR to when they started seeing each other.)
As far as her PR nightmare last year, I can totally see that affecting their relationship: isn’t he still her agent, or did he step down once they got involved?
Because it would be very awkward if she got fired by her agency if he was still her agent. Can you imagine the pillow talk?
What’s that old Oscar Wilde quote? “A man who marries his mistress leaves a vacancy in that position.”
He might’ve cheated on her, but then again it could be the fallout from the Chechen killed the relationship.
I’m not that sympathetic in any case. What with getting involved with a married man, throwing her ex under the bus and the Chechen thing, she strikes me a thoroughly nasty piece of work.
Poor Hilary Swank. People just can’t get over their negative comments because she doesn’t fit into their pretty feminine little box. Nevermind her mindblowing talent or her good-hearted nature. Consequently, I have met her, and of the countless public figures I’ve engaged with, she was the most humble and sincere. This lady never forgot where she came from and is totally classy. I guess haters will always hate, but I think it’s funny people find such superficial drivel to say in light of someone going through a breakup. Always sad when relationships end or when people get judged by their cover.
I know I will be a hater, but I don’t really care.
As an actress, she’s at best an average actress who got luck for two excellent roles by an actress. This is one of those cases where she was from average -Conviction, The Core-, to bad -P.S. I Love You, The Gift- to dreadful -Amélia, The Affair of the Necklare-. Maybe her only non Oscar good role was “Insomnia” and she was overshadowed by Pacino and Wiliams. She failed to be a big star, she failed at stage -Her Broadway debut was dreadful- and her acting range is narrow making her career one of the worst post-Oscar careers by an Oscar winners by 2000s -Alongside Berry and Witherspoon- I’m sure if, without her two Oscars, Swank won’t be in a pantheon of great actresses. Example: Huppert is also a non convencional female actress, but she’s marvelous at film and stage -I got the luck of watching on stage in Paris and she’s on fire-
As a person, she try to hard to sound “down to earth” but she failed. Her classic speech “I am a girl from a trailer park who had a dream” sound really tired as a cliché -This is exactly the same response a Halle Berry’s racial card-. Girls, get over it. You said: “This lady never forgot where she came from and is totally classy”… Sorry but her actions didn’t show it, even she’s make it as an hypocrite -Remember her ridiculous scene in NZ, her terrible interview in Vanity Fair or her fake image in an restaurant after the Oscars making an image of herself-. Take an example of Theron, another actress who came from an environment of violence and poverty and she’s still nice, funny and admirable, never tiresome -Berry- or annonying -Swank-.
Also her scandal in Chechenia only make her worse. She’s posing as an image of a feminist, democratic and advocate of human rights and then she was in a party with one of the most tyrannical leaders around the world. And the best part of it “She made her research in defense of him”. And finally, she made a ridiculous statement blaming her team of her actions and keep all of her guilt in others.
Maybe anyone would think i’m a b*tch, but if there’s a quality which I admire of others is congruence. If you sell it as a type of person, show it with actions.
More importantly, has any Oscar winner had such a shitty career post-win? Cuba Gooding Jr???