Gwyneth

Gwyneth Paltrow on Past Love, Hollywood’s Spotlight, and a New #MeToo Script for Women

 

Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow recently reflected on her past relationship with Brad Pitt, comparing it to "dating Prince William." In an interview with Vanity Fair, Paltrow described Pitt as "a very intriguing character" and acknowledged how their romance remains a topic of interest even decades later.

 

A Love Story That Captured Public Interest

 

Paltrow and Pitt began dating in 1994 during table readings for the film Legends of the Fall. Their on-screen chemistry in Se7en amplified this connection, leading to an engagement in December of 1996. Sadly the couple broke up after half a year, though Paltrow professed to retain only happy memories of their time together.

 

Comparing Their Romance to Royalty

 

She recollected how the public largely scrutinized their romance, as would be the case for any member of the British royal family. They are, as she put it, "like dating, I don’t know, Prince William or something. That’s always going to come up." She went on with practically forth-hand accounts of a producer chastising her for taking time off to celebrate her birthday with Pitt and pointing to the pressure she feels in Hollywood.

 

Life After Their Breakup

 

From their breakup onward, however, the two have each gone on to find new lives. Paltrow married Chris Martin of the band Coldplay in 2003, with whom she has two children; they divorced amicably in 2014. She went on to marry Brad Falchuk, co-creator of American Horror Story. Pitt, meanwhile, was known to have had various high-profile relationships with the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie.

 

Changing Times in Hollywood

 

Other than to champion her personal healing journey, Paltrow offered reflections on the newfound context for her Hollywood past. The #MeToo movement has been one catalyst credited with bringing change to the industry, particularly regarding power dynamics. "Meetings in hotel rooms are way down," she said, adding there is an increased sense of safety for actors in Hollywood.

 

A Lasting Legacy in Pop Culture

 

Memoirs, true to venerable, show us Paltrow's interview offered a shaggier and more blurred picture of her own past; this shows, more apparently, the great lens that public relationships have upon the life stories written for and by us. Comparing Pitt to royalty shows just how big that romance marched through pop culture."