Blythe Danner

Blythe Katherine Danner (born February 3, 1943) is an American actress. Accolades she has received include two Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Izzy Huffstodt on Huff (2004–2006), and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for her performance in Butterflies Are Free on Broadway (1969–1972). Danner was twice nominated for the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for portraying Marilyn Truman on Will & Grace (2001–06; 2018–20), and the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her roles in We Were the Mulvaneys and Back When We Were Grownups (2004). For the latter, she also received a Golden Globe Award nomination.

Danner played Dina Byrnes in the Meet the Parents film series (2000-present). She has collaborated on several occasions with Woody Allen, appearing in three of his films: Another Woman (1988), Alice (1990), and Husbands and Wives (1992). Her other notable film credits include 1776 (1972), Hearts of the West (1975), The Great Santini (1979), Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990), The Prince of Tides (1991), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), The Myth of Fingerprints (1997), The X-Files (1998), Forces of Nature (1999), The Love Letter (1999), The Last Kiss (2006), Paul (2011), Hello I Must Be Going (2012), I'll See You in My Dreams (2015), and What They Had (2018).

Danner is the sister of Harry Danner and the widow of Bruce Paltrow.

Early life Danner was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Katharine and Harry Earl Danner, a bank executive. She has a brother, opera singer and actor Harry Danner, a sister and a maternal half-brother. Danner has Pennsylvania Dutch, some English and Irish ancestry. Her maternal grandmother was a German immigrant, and one of her paternal great-grandmothers was born in Barbados to a family of European descent. Danner graduated from George School, a Quaker high school located near Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1960.

Career A graduate of Bard College, Danner's first roles included the 1967 musical Mata Hari and the 1968 Off-Broadway production of Summertree. Her early Broadway appearances included Cyrano de Bergerac (1968) and her Theatre World Award-winning performance in The Miser (1969). She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for portraying a free-spirited divorcée in Butterflies Are Free (1970).

In 1972, Danner portrayed Martha Jefferson, opposite Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, in the film version of 1776. That same year, she played Janice Benedict, the wife of an unfaithful husband who murders his lover, played by John Cassavetes, in the Columbo episode "Étude in Black". Danner was five months pregnant with her daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow, during production of the episode and her baby bump was visibly in several scenes.

Her earliest starring film role was opposite Alan Alda in To Kill a Clown (1972). Danner appeared in the episode of M*A*S*H entitled "The More I See You", playing the love interest of Alda's character Hawkeye Pierce. She played lawyer Amanda Bonner in television's Adam's Rib, again opposite Howard as Adam Bonner. She played Zelda Fitzgerald in F. Scott Fitzgerald and 'The Last of the Belles' (1974). She was the eponymous heroine in the film Lovin' Molly (1974) (directed by Sidney Lumet). She appeared in Futureworld, playing Tracy Ballard with co-star Peter Fonda (1976). In the 1982 TV movie Inside the Third Reich, she played the wife of Albert Speer. In the film version of Neil Simon's semi-autobiographical play Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986), she portrayed a middle-aged Jewish mother. She has appeared in two films based on the novels of Pat Conroy, The Great Santini (1979) and The Prince of Tides (1991), as well as two television movies adapted from books by Anne Tyler, Saint Maybe and Back When We Were Grownups, both for the Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Danner appeared opposite Robert De Niro in the 2000 comedy hit Meet the Parents, and its sequels, Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010). On May 30, 2025, it was announced that Danner would return for a fourth film which is scheduled to release on November 25, 2026.

From 2001 to 2006, she regularly appeared on NBC's sitcom Will & Grace as Will Truman's mother Marilyn. From 2004 to 2006, she starred in the main cast of the comedy-drama series Huff. In 2005, she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for her work on Will & Grace, Huff, and the television film Back When We Were Grownups, winning for her role in Huff. The following year, she won a second consecutive Emmy Award for Huff. For 25 years, she has been a regular performer at the Williamstown Summer Theater Festival, where she also serves on the board of directors.

In 2006, Danner was awarded an inaugural Katharine Hepburn Medal by Bryn Mawr College's Katharine Houghton Hepburn Center. In 2015, Danner was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.

Environmental activism Danner has been involved in environmental issues such as recycling and conservation for over 30 years. She has been active with INFORM, Inc., is on the Board of Environmental Advocates of New York and the board of directors of the Environmental Media Association, and won the 2002 EMA Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award. In 2011, Danner joined Moms Clean Air Force, to help call on parents to join in the fight against toxic air pollution.

Health care activism After the death of her husband Bruce Paltrow from oral cancer, she became involved with the nonprofit Oral Cancer Foundation. In 2005, she filmed a public service announcement to raise public awareness of the disease and the need for early detection. She has since appeared on morning talk shows and given interviews in such magazines as People. The Bruce Paltrow Oral Cancer Fund, administered by the Oral Cancer Foundation, raises funding for oral cancer research and treatment, with a particular focus on those communities in which healthcare disparities exist.

She has also appeared in commercials for Prolia, a brand of denosumab used in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Personal life Danner was married to producer and director Bruce Paltrow, who died of oral cancer in 2002. She and Paltrow had two children together, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and director Jake Paltrow.

Danner's niece is the actress Katherine Moennig, the daughter of her maternal half-brother William.

Danner co-starred with her daughter in the 1992 television film Cruel Doubt and again in the 2003 film Sylvia, in which she portrayed Aurelia Plath, mother to Gwyneth's title role of Sylvia Plath.

Danner is a practitioner of transcendental meditation, which she has described as "very helpful and comforting".

Acting credits Film

Year Title Role Notes 1972 To Kill a Clown Lily Frischer 1776 Martha Jefferson 1974 Lovin' Molly Molly Taylor 1975 Hearts of the West Miss Trout 1976 Futureworld Tracy Ballard 1979 The Great Santini Lillian Meechum 1983 Inside the Third Reich Margarete Speer Man, Woman and Child Sheila Beckwith 1985 Guilty Conscience Louise Jamison 1986 Brighton Beach Memoirs Kate Jerome 1988 Another Woman Lydia 1990 Mr. & Mrs. Bridge Grace Barron Alice Dorothy Smith 1991 The Prince of Tides Sally Wingo 1992 Husbands and Wives Rain's Mother 1995 Napoleon Mother Dingo Homage Katherine Samuel To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar Beatrice 1997 The Myth of Fingerprints Lena Mad City Mrs. Banks 1998 The Proposition Syril Danning No Looking Back Claudia's Mother The X-Files Jana Cassidy 1999 Forces of Nature Virginia Cahill The Love Letter Lillian MacFarquhar Things I Forgot to Remember Mrs. Bradford 2000 Meet the Parents Dina Byrnes 2001 The Invisible Circus Gail O'Connor 2003 Three Days of Rain Woman in Cab Sylvia Aurelia Plath 2004 Howl's Moving Castle Madam Suliman Voice role; English dub Meet the Fockers Dina Byrnes 2006 Stolen Isabella Stewart Gardner The Last Kiss Anna 2008 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 Greta Randolph 2009 Waiting for Forever Miranda Twist Beyond All Boundaries Elsa Maxwell Voice; Documentary The Lightkeepers Mrs. Bascom 2010 Little Fockers Dina Byrnes 2011 Paul Tara Walton What's Your Number? Ava Darling Detachment Mrs. Perkins 2012 The Lucky One Ellie Green Hello I Must Be Going Ruth Minsky 2014 Murder of a Cat Edie Moisey 2015 I'll See You in My Dreams Carol Petersen Tumbledown Linda Jespersen 2018 What They Had Ruth O’Shea Hearts Beat Loud Marianne Fisher The Chaperone Mary O'Dell 2019 The Tomorrow Man Ronnie Meisner Strange but True Gail Erwin 2023 Happiness for Beginners Gigi 2026 Dina Byrnes Post-production 2026 TBA

Television Year Title Role Notes 1970 George M! Agnes Nolan Cohan TV movie 1971 Dr. Cook's Garden Janey Rausch TV movie 1972 Columbo Janice Benedict Episode: "Etude in Black" 1973 Adam's Rib Amanda Bonner Main cast 1974 F. Scott Fitzgerald and 'The Last of the Belles' Zelda Fitzgerald TV movie Sidekicks Prudy Jenkins TV movie 1975 Great Performances Nina Zarechnaya Episode: "The Seagull" 1976 M*A*S*H Carlye Breslin Walton Episode: "The More I See You" A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story Eleanor Twitchell Gehrig TV movie Great Performances Alma Winemiller Episode: "Eccentricites of a Nightingale" 1977 The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer Mrs. Custer TV movie 1978 Are You in the House Alone? Anne Osbourne TV movie 1979 Too Far to Go Joan Barlow Maple TV movie You Can't Take It with You Alice Sycamore TV movie 1982 Inside the Third Reich Margarete Speer TV movie Saturday Night Live Guest host Episode: "Blythe Danner / Rickie Lee Jones" 1983 In Defense of Kids Ellen Wilcox TV movie 1984 Guilty Conscience Louise Jamison TV movie Helen Keller: The Miracle Continues Anne Sullivan TV movie 1988–1989 Tattingers Hillary Tattinger Main cast 1989 Money, Power, Murder Jeannie TV movie 1990 Judgment Emmeline Guitry TV movie 1992 Getting Up and Going Home Lily TV movie Cruel Doubt Bonnie Van Stein TV movie Tales from the Crypt Margaret Episode: "Maniac at Large" Lincoln Elizabeth Todd Edwards TV movie 1993 Tracey Ullman Takes on New York Eleanor Levine TV movie Great Performances Narrator Episode: "The Maestros of Philadelphia" 1994 Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All Bianca Honicut TV movie Leave of Absence Elisa TV movie 1997 Thomas Jefferson Martha Jefferson TV movie A Call to Remember Paula Tobias TV movie 1998 From the Earth to the Moon Narrator Miniseries, episode: "Le voyage dans la lune" Saint Maybe Bee Bedloe TV movie Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery Mrs. Murphy TV movie 2001–2006,2018–2020 Will & Grace Marilyn Truman Recurring role (seasons 4, 6–11) 2002 We Were the Mulvaneys Corinne Mulvaney TV movie Presidio Med Dr. Harriet Lanning 3 episodes 2003 Two and a Half Men Evelyn Harper Episode: "Most Chicks Won't Eat Veal" (unaired pilot) 2004 Back When We Were Grownups Rebecca Holmes Davitch TV movie 2004–2006 Huff Isabelle Huffstodt Main cast 2009 Medium Louise Leaming Episode: "A Taste of Her Own Medicine" Nurse Jackie Maureen Cooper Episode: "Tiny Bubbles" 2011–2012 Up All Night Dr. Angie Chafin 3 episodes 2015 The Slap Virginia Latham Episode: "Anouk" 2016 Madoff Ruth Madoff Miniseries, main cast Odd Mom Out Jill's Mom Episode: "Fasting and Furious" 2017 Gypsy Nancy Recurring role 2018 Patrick Melrose Nancy Valance Miniseries 2021 American Gods Demeter 2 episodes 2021–2023 Ridley Jones Sylvia Jones (voice) Recurring role

Stage Year Title Role Venue 1965 The Glass Menagerie Laura Wingfield Theater Company of Boston 1967 Three Sisters Irina Prozorova Trinity Square Playhouse 1968 Cyrano de Bergerac Sister Marthe Vivian Beaumont Theater Up Eden Violet Beam Jan Hus Playhouse Theater Lovers Margaret Mary Enright Vivian Beaumont Theater 1969 Someone's Comin' Hungry Connie Odum Pocket Theatre The Miser Elise Vivian Beaumont Theater 1969–1972 Butterflies Are Free Jill Tanner Booth Theatre 1971 Major Barbara Barbara Undershaft Mark Taper Forum 1972 Twelfth Night Viola Vivian Beaumont Theater 1974 The Seagull Nina Zarechnaya Williamstown Theatre Festival 1975 Ring Round the Moon Isabelle Williamstown Theatre Festival 1977 The New York Idea Cynthia Karslake Brooklyn Academy of Music 1979 Children of the Sun Lisa Williamstown Theatre Festival 1980 Betrayal Emma Trafalgar Theatre 1980–1981 The Philadelphia Story Tracy Samantha Lord Vivian Beaumont Theater 1987 Blithe Spirit Elvira Condomine Neil Simon Theatre 1988 Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice Delacorte Theater A Streetcar Named Desire Blanche DuBois Circle in the Square Theatre 1989 Love Letters Melissa Gardner Promenade Theatre 1991 Picnic Rosemary Sydney Williamstown Theatre Festival 1994 The Seagull Irina Arkadina Williamstown Theatre Festival 1995 Sylvia Kate New York City Center 1995–1996 Moonlight Bel Laura Pels Theatre 1998 The Deep Blue Sea Hester Collyer Criterion Center Stage Right 2000 Tonight at 8.30 Jane Featherways Williamstown Theatre Festival 2001 Follies Phyllis Rogers Stone Belasco Theatre 2002 Carousel Mrs. Mullin Carnegie Hall 2003 All About Eve Karen Richards Ahmanson Theatre 2006 Suddenly Last Summer Violet Venable Laura Pels Theatre 2012–2013 Nice Work If You Can Get It Millicent Winter Imperial Theatre 2014 The Country House Anna Paterson Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Nominated work Award Result 1969 The Miser Theatre World Award 1970 Butterflies Are Free Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1976 Futureworld Saturn Award for Best Actress 1977 The New York Idea Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play 1980 Betrayal Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play 1988 A Streetcar Named Desire Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play 2001 Follies Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical 2002 We Were the Mulvaneys Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie 2004 Back When We Were Grownups Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie 2005 Huff Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Will & Grace Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series 2006 Huff Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Suddenly Last Summer Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play Will & Grace Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series The Last Kiss Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture 2015 I'll See You in My Dreams Gotham Award for Best Actress Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture