Melbourne, November 01 Actress Hillary Swank has revealed that she experienced class differences early in her life as she came from a poor family.

The 'Million Dollar Baby' star grew up poor in a trailer park in Bellingham, Washington, until her mother drove her to LA to pursue acting.

"Growing up poor, I experienced classism. Not from my friends, but from my friends' parents and how they viewed me," the Daily Telegraph quoted her as saying.

She added: "That was a difficult challenge to overcome and helped shape who I am today.

Hillary and her mother had even lived in the car and vacant houses put up for sale when they first reached LA.

She insists that the experience only helped her become the person she is now.

She said: "My mum is truly special - she believed in me. The gift of belief is one of the most important things you can give a child. I wouldn't change my humble beginnings for anything.

"It gave me a great appreciation for the life I have now and taught me not to take anything for granted. It gave me a better understanding of what I'm capable of through hard work and determination.

"I feel I have a place where I belong now - through the things I've achieved in my career. I used to be like, 'What do I wear to this thing?

"Am I going to be underdressed? What do I say to these people?' I think we all have that insecurity. As you get older, you feel less like an outsider because you have an awareness of life.

"Of course, there are moments when we all still feel insecure." (ANI)