Hilary Swank Apologizes for Incident at LAX

Actress Hilary Swank has reportedly expressed regret after an incident at Los Angeles International Airport involving a mother and her terminally ill sons, who were there on a Make-A-Wish trip to Disneyland.

Jada Buffas was waiting in baggage claim when she took out her phone to call her husband. At that moment, Swank made a comment that, according to Buffas, seemed dismissive: “I hope you enjoy that picture!”

Buffas, the mother of two boys, aged 7 and 4, diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, reflected that the timing of taking out her phone may have led to the misunderstanding. “I think she thought I was taking pictures of her,” Buffas said.

She speculated that Swank might have been having a tough day, clarifying that she was merely trying to make a call and not snap photos. “She just got a little wild,” Buffas added. “I just went to the wrong place at the wrong time.”

The situation was particularly painful for Buffas, coming at the beginning of a special trip for her sons. “It just hurt my feelings because I had just started my son’s Make-A-Wish trip, and she wouldn’t have known,” she shared. Yet, she also found a bit of humor in it, considering it one of her sons’ first celebrity encounters.

Buffas later shared this encounter on Instagram, where it quickly gained traction and drew numerous responses. She has since removed the post.

Following this, Swank reached out to Buffas on Instagram, apologizing for her outburst and expressing concern about her own children potentially being photographed in the hectic airport environment.

Buffas shared Swank’s apology message but requested that media refrain from publishing any images related to the incident.

Her husband, Brian, found it odd that a well-known actress, accustomed to public attention and photos, would react that way at a crowded airport. “When you’re in that profession, you fight back against someone, and in a way, I don’t know, that’s what it is,” he commented.

He reassured, “We’re not mad at her. We weren’t trying to get anything out of it. We were just like, ‘Oh, look at this, that was crazy.’ That was unexpected at the beginning of our journey.”

Swank welcomed twins earlier in 2023, announcing the news on social media and noting the challenges that come with parenting, while expressing joy at her growing family.

Amidst the conversation, one Instagram user emphasized the importance of not criticizing a mother taking her sick child on a special trip, suggesting that misunderstanding could easily arise in such situations.