Gwyneth Paltrow opens up about her Hollywood star parents’ “scandalous” marriage

Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed why her famous parents’ marriage was once considered “scandalous”.

The daughter of actor Blythe Danner and the late director Bruce Paltrow discussed her holiday traditions in a video with Noa Tishby, who works as a former Israeli special envoy to combat anti-Semitism. Released on the first night of Hanukkah, December 25, Paltrow reflects in the video on growing up in different religious backgrounds, as her father is Jewish and her mother is Christian.

According to Paltrow, having parents who belong to different religions is “interesting,” especially given the couple’s family’s negative attitude towards them. “I grew up in the ’70s, when I think interfaith marriage was a big thing,” she said. “And so it was really hard for both of my parents to marry each other. And it was a bit scandalous.”

The Goop founder said initially “no one” in her family was “happy” that her parents married because of their different faiths. However, Danner and Bruce’s parents “accepted” their marriage “later in life.”

“They kind of let it all go,” Paltrow said. She then acknowledged how lucky she was to grow up with parents who came from “other worlds and faiths.”

“I always felt an incredible attraction to my Jewish family, I still do,” she said. “And just the traditions and the warmth and the unconditional love. And the food and the screaming and the family!”

Paltrow added: “I’m so close to everyone in my family. We’re all kind of intertwined and so important to each other and we’re always there for each other.”

Danner and Bruce Paltrow married in 1969 and they have two children together: Gwyneth and her younger brother Jake, 49. They were married for more than 30 years before Bruce died in 2002 at the age of 58 after a long battle with throat cancer.

The Iron Man Star has previously spoken about growing up with parents who worked in the entertainment industry. Last year, Paltrow addressed the ongoing debate over “nepo-baby” culture – pointing out how children of famous parents went on to work and find success in Hollywood.

“Now there’s this whole nepo-baby culture and judgment towards children of famous people,” the actor said hustle and bustle in October 2023.

She further emphasized that children who grow up with parents who are actors are more inclined to get involved in the entertainment industry as well.

“The truth is that when you grow up in a house with a lot of artists and people who make art and music, you know that, just like when you grow up in a house with laws, the discussions at the table revolve around…” Nuances of the particular law that the parents are practicing,” she said. “I think that’s a pretty ugly nickname.”

Paltrow is also a mother herself, sharing her 20-year-old daughter Apple and 18-year-old son Moses with her ex-husband Chris Martin.