Gwyneth Paltrow has taken to the stand in a US court to testify in a trial over a man’s claims that the movie star’s recklessness caused him concussion and lasting physical injuries.
Retired optometrist Terry Sanderson is suing Paltrow over the incident, claiming her “negligence” caused him to suffer “four broken ribs and permanent brain damage” after they crashed into one another at a ski resort in Park City, Utah seven years ago.
He is seeking up to $3,276,000 (around £2,688,000) in damages.
The Oscar winner has filed her own counterclaim, accusing Sanderson of being responsible for the incident, and is seeking just one dollar in damages.
Both the Shakespeare In Love actor and Anderson took to the stand to testify on Friday in front of a 10-member jury.
Earlier this week, the trial saw their attorneys jostle to convince the jury who was responsible for the collision and who had the right of way. Paltrow claims Sanderson was responsible for the crash.
As she gave evidence, Paltrow reiterated multiple times that she had been the “victim” of the ski crash.
The actress said she did “not believe” the testimony of previous witnesses and that her version of events was “categorically” the truth.
The actress entered the witness box to give evidence wearing a dark blue skirt and a button-down blouse and began her evidence by describing herself as an “intermediate” skier who was “familiar” with the rules of skiing.
She denied that she had been engaging in “risky behaviour” on the day of the collision and reiterated multiple times that she had been skied into from behind by Sanderson.
“I was confused at first and I didn’t know exactly what was happening,” she said, describing the incident.
“It’s a very strange thing to happen on a ski slope. I froze and I would say I got very upset a couple of seconds later.”
She added: “(I thought) Is this a practical joke? Is someone doing something perverted?… my mind was going very quickly and trying to ascertain what was happening.”
At one point during Paltrow’s testimony, Kristin Van Orman, representing Sanderson, attempted to recreate the sequence of events in the court room, with the actress giving her directions.
Sanderson, who was also present, watched the recreation.
Paltrow acknowledged that neither her ski instructor nor her children had seen the incident and did not remember fellow skier Craig Ramon being on the scene.
Ramon previously gave evidence at the trial, in which he said he had witnessed the actress “slam” into Sanderson.
“I did not believe his testimony,” Paltrow said.
“I don’t believe he saw what he thinks he saw. He said he was 40 feet away and colour blind I don’t know how he can be positive with what he saw, especially with how much he changed his story.
“If you have two people in ski gear with helmets on and you’re 40 feet away I don’t know how you can discern who is who.”
She added: “What you have to remember is that when you’re a victim of a crash, your psychology is not necessarily thinking about the person who perpetrated it.”
“Mr Sanderson hit me and that is categorically the truth.”
The trial, in Park City, Utah, continues.
Additional reporting from PA News and AP.