Blythe Danner on Oscars diversity row: 'I personally nominated two black actors'

Blythe Danner, the 73 year old actress and mother of Gwyneth Paltrow, has spoken to London Live about the recent diversity row surrounding this year’s Oscars.

The Tony and Emmy Award winner said: “I think it’s very important. I personally nominated two black actors, and there could have been more.”

She did not elaborate on which two actors, but did mention the films: Straight Outta Compton and Beasts of No Nation.

The star, perhaps best known to UK audiences as Dina Byrnes in Meet the Parents, went on to say that members of the Academy “take a lot of shrapnel” and that “not all of us vote for old white people”.

She was however pleased that the rules were changing, and commented on how many great roles there have been in the past year for women over 50.

Danner was in London to promote the release of her latest film I’ll See You in My Dreams, about a widow who finds a new lease of life after striking up an unlikely friendship with her pool cleaner, and by pursuing a new love interest for the first time since her husband died.

I’ll See You in My Dreams will be available for digital download on 22^nd February, and on DVD on 29^th February.