Gwyneth Paltrow gets candid about her parents' really hard and 'scandalous' interfaith marriage
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gwyneth Paltrow has opened up on her parents' interfaith marriage and the challenges they faced early on.
The actress shared her thoughts during a video conversation with Noa Tishby in celebration of Hanukkah on Wednesday, December 25.
Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner faced resistance in their interfaith marriage
Gwyneth Paltrow credited her blended religious upbringing as a source of gratitude, while also acknowledging the initial resistance her parents, Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner encountered from their families.
"My mother's Christian, my father's Jewish," Gwyneth spoke about her parents' faiths. She described the era of the 1970s, saying, "It's interesting — I grew up in a time in the '70s where interfaith marriage was still kind of a big deal."
"And so it was really hard for both of my parents' parents that they were marrying each other," Gwyneth added.
The actress continued, "It was a bit scandalous. Nobody was happy about it," adding, "They definitely grew to accept it later in life and kind of let go of all of that," per People.
Gwyneth Paltrow appreciates her mixed religious upbringing: 'I felt so fortunate'
Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner married in 1969 and had two children, Gwyneth Paltrow and her younger brother Jake Paltrow.
They were married for more than 30 years. Bruce died in 2002 at age 58 following a battle with throat cancer.
Reflecting on her childhood, Gwyneth shared her gratitude for growing up surrounded by two different cultures. "I felt so fortunate because I got to grow up with these two very different worlds and very different faiths," she said.
"I always felt an incredible pull to my Jewish family — I still do. And just the traditions and the warmth and the unconditional love. And the food and the yelling and the family!" the 'Iron Man' actress shared.
Gwyneth Paltrow shares fond Hanukkah memories
The Oscar winner said she feels close to the father's side of the family reflecting on how important family is for each other.
"I'm so close to everybody on that side of my family. We're all kind of interwoven and so important to each other and just show up for each other again and again and again," Paltrow shared.
"I came to find out that we are from 17 generations of rabbis," she added. The 'Great Expectations' actress also shared a childhood memory tied to Hanukkah celebrations.
"My most favorite is when I go back to being at my grandparents' house on Long Island and getting the Hanukkah gelt," she said.
She recounted the moment and added, "I have such a strong memory of the gold round coins and my brother and I tearing into them."
