What's a Little-Known Passion of Hilary Swank's?

10/17/2014 AT 02:00 PM EDT

Hilary Swank returns to the big screen in a big way with two upcoming films: You're Not You and The Homesman and the 40-year-old actress revealed her passion for dancing when she chatted with PEOPLE this week.

Last time I danced

A little-known fact about me is that I love to dance. The last memorable time was at my 40th-birthday party. I hired a teacher for everyone to learn line dancing, and we danced the night away under the stars at this incredible ranch north of Los Angeles.

Last good deed I did

I put money in a random person's meter because they were about to get a parking ticket.

Last time I saw the sunrise

I'm just getting back from Europe, so I've been watching the sun rise every day for the past five days. It's such a quiet and peaceful time – it feels like the day is all yours. I love enjoying the sunrise with my dogs and a cup of tea or coffee or a walk on the beach.

Last home-cooked meal

My best friend cooked one of my favorite meals, which is chili con carne using my grandmother's recipe.