Gwyneth Paltrow's mother tried to discourage her from being an actress.

Although Blythe Danner is a respected actress and Gwyneth's father Bruce Paltrow was a producer and director, the pair did their best to prevent Gwyneth from following them into the business.

Blythe told the Daily Mail: ''We did discourage Gwyneth from acting early on. I'd worked with so many child actors who didn't have any childhood - I'd ask them about themselves and they'd give me their acting credits! I just found it so tragic that so many of the mothers were pushing their kids to be stars.

''Besides, she was a wonderful student at school. We were always getting reports home that she could be a brilliant lawyer or a scientist, so we just thought, 'Oh, when she grows up she's going to find the cure for some disease or something.'''

And although Gwyneth has gone on to win an Oscar for 'Shakespeare in Love', Blythe is even prouder of all of her other achievements.

She said: ''She's much more together than her mother, thank God! She's capable of anything and everything. Her mothering is extraordinary, she's incredibly well-schooled, she's read everything, she speaks fluent Spanish, she's an extraordinary cook and a brilliant actress. I marvel at her, really.

''When she was a very little girl, we used to make up songs in bed at bedtime, and then we'd lie in bed and sing. I would just do the simple chords but she was always reaching for these complex harmonies. I'd say, 'Where did you get that?' And she'd say, 'I don't know, Mommy, I just heard it.' She was born with a great ear.''