Whispers - Blythe Danner: A Hot Mess

Actress, Mother, Wife, LALO and Hamptons resident Blythe Danner currently lives in the Hamptons close to her daughter, Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow, son-in-law rock star, Chris Martin of Coldplay and her grandchildren. Danner told me, “I very much want to be a part of this community.” The Tony Award-winning actress proved it by recently co-hosting the Bay Street Theatre’s Annual Gala on the Long Warf in Sag Harbor, alongside HBO’s “True Blood” star, Chris Bauer, and HBO’s “Luck” star, Richard Kind. Paltrow fans know that Ms. Goop recently turned author and released a cookbook entitled My Father’s Daughter. The book pays homage to Mrs. Martin’s late father, director Bruce Paltrow.

I asked Danner, “Were you jealous of the title?” She graciously responded, “No, because they had the most extraordinary relationship. And, I was very happy that she honored him. She really started cooking with Bruce. Cooking became their passion, and they both are so good at it. I mean, I’m a mess! I make a big mess! They chop and chop and then they clean up and put it away and, I just throw everything all over the place. No. I’m not a good cook. I mean I can make you muffins or macrobiotic cookies. That’s sort of my limit.”

Danner proudly confirmed her baby girl learned how to cook by watching her beloved father, but her movie star looks are thanks to her mom, Danner! She is 68 years young and she may be a self-proclaimed “mess” in the kitchen, but let’s make one thing clear—Danner is one “Hot Mess!” Aside from being incredibly charming, warm, vulnerable and sincere in person, Danner is hot! The fresh face, lush blond hair, sparkling eyes, teeny waist and long legs would dazzle any audience from center stage. Clearly, Danner would prefer to talk about how we can and need to save the planet, but she may not realize her legs can truly inspire the world. When it comes to Danner, 60 is the new 40. She is a perfect example of a woman who gets better with age. When I asked Danner if she worked out she modestly replied, “I am trying to do more, but I am lazy and I travel a lot so it’s hard to.” Danner said she loves being a grandma to Paltrow’s daughter Apple and son Moses.

She set the record straight, “I loved becoming a grandmother, and I thought it’s certainly time for me to be a grandmother. Our names in our family are all kind of wacky, and somewhat creative, so I thought well, I don’t just wanna be old grandma or Nana, I’d like to be something funny or fun. Yet, Apple was insistent on Grandma having a nickname, LALO. Danner shared, “I actually had a name picked out. My son had a friend whose grandmother was named Woof, they called her Woof, and I love dogs and I thought wouldn’t it be funny to say “Hey Woof!” Well, I asked my granddaughter if she’d like to call me Woof, she could barely speak, and she said no, no. And I said Well, oh, well then who am I?” And, she thought a moment, and she said “Lalo.” So, Lalo stuck. Danner’s latest role is entertaining Apple and Moses out East. “We play lots of hide-and seek behind big bushes. They are very original, and they love imaginative play, they come up with the greatest things. I never want to leave my house.” I asked, “Do you think that they are going to be following in your footsteps when it comes to acting?” Danner replied, “I have a feeling. It looks that way for Apple. I always said that I’m happy when both my children have found that passion in life. And I think that’s all you really want for your kids. To find that curiosity and never stop learning.”

Gina Glickman Giordan is a TV Host, News Correspondent, Executive Producer and founder of GMG Entertainment. Watch Giordan’s exclusive celebrity interviews and event-life coverage series, “In The Mixx,” on People Magazine TV, Hamptons Magazine TV, Dan’s Tube and www.InTheMixxShow.com.