Blythe Danner

Blythe Danner Profile Photo

Characters played by Blythe Danner

Dina Byrnes — Meet the Fockers (2004)

Jack's wife, a supportive and often exasperated mother figure.

Ava Darling — What's Your Number? (2011)

Ally's mother. She is portrayed as having specific expectations for Ally's romantic life, particularly wanting her to marry Jake Adams, which creates underlying pressure for Ally throughout the film.

Dina Byrnes — Little Fockers (2010)

Jack's supportive wife, tries to mediate between Greg and her husband.

Nana — The Lucky One (2012)

Beth's grandmother (referred to as Ellie in the plot), who hires Logan as a handyman. She provides emotional support to Beth after a misunderstanding, explains Logan's survivor guilt, and urges Logan to follow his family during the storm.

Cassidy — The X-Files (1998)

FBI Assistant Director overseeing OPR hearings, represents bureaucratic authority and discipline.

Tara Walton — Paul (2011)

Tara is the woman who rescued Paul after his spacecraft crashed on Earth sixty years earlier, an event that accidentally killed her dog. Because nobody believed her account, she lived as a social pariah. She forgives Paul, shelters the group, and is offered a new life aboard his departing ship.

Tracy Ballard — Futureworld (1976)

TV reporter investigating Delos, becomes a target for cloning.

Gigi — Happiness for Beginners (2023)

The grandmother who raised Helen and her siblings. Helen visits her during the trip, and Gigi observes that the hiking experience has positively transformed Helen, potentially sparking her capacity for love. She joins Helen and Duncan for a birthday celebration.

Sally Wingo — The Prince of Tides (1991)

Tom's wife, who is secretly having an affair with a man who wants to marry her. She eventually calls Tom to return home, leading to their reconciliation. Tom acknowledges his enduring love for her despite his feelings for Lowenstein.

Martha Jefferson — 1776 (1972)

Wife of Thomas Jefferson who travels to Philadelphia to support her husband. Her presence helps lift his spirits and enables him to complete the draft of the Declaration of Independence.

Gail — Strange but True (2019)

Bill's wife who takes Melissa in. She discovers Bill's hidden cigarettes and Rohypnol pills, confronts him about drugging Melissa, and falls down the stairs during their struggle, resulting in her death.

Ruth — What They Had (2018)

Ruth is Bridget and Nick’s mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease. After wandering into the streets during a Christmas Eve blizzard, she returns home with her family, but disappears again. Her children work to arrange assisted care, and Bridget later visits her there and sees that the staff are treating her well.

Career Overview

Blythe Danner has 110 screen credits in a career dating back to 1952. Their work spans 6 cinematic universes — most prominently Meet the Parents with 4 titles. Signature works include Meet the Fockers, What's Your Number?, Meet the Parents. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For
Acting
Gender
female
Known Credits
110
Birth Date
1943-02-03
Birth Place
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Known For

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 6 universes

Frequent Collaborators

Credits

Content sources

Related entry on Wikidata (Q40064), public domain (CC0).