London  - Holywood actress Winona Ryder was taken to hospital in London Wednesday after falling ill on a British Airways plane flying in from Los Angeles, the airline said.

The 37-year-old actress was treated by medics at London's Heathrow airport before being taken to the nearby Hillingdon Hospital, a BA spokesman said.

"The captain of BA282, which was travelling from LA to Heathrow, requested a priority landing as a female passenger required medical attention. The passenger was taken to a local hospital for treatment," said BA.

The airline said the crew looked after Ryder as much as they could whilst on board, and passenger service staff accompanied her to hospital.

Ryder has starred in a series of acclaimed films including Martin Scorseses' "The Age of Innocence," "The Crucible" and "The House of Spirits," a film based on the novel by Isabel Allende. (dpa)