Ah, Gwyneth Paltrow. The actor-turned-wellness guru has never been the relatable kind (she did make a candle in tribute to her vagina, after all), so when Vogue recruited her for the latest episode of their iconic 73 Questions YouTube series, we knew we’d be in for an entertaining watch.
With her infamous lifestyle brand goop turning 15 this year, we have to warn you – there is a lot of wellness spiel throughout (for example, her top advice is to just “quiet the mind”). But thankfully there are some standout moments and interesting tidbits about Paltrow’s life throughout – including what she uses her 1999 Oscars trophy for Best Actress for.
Winning the award for her role in Shakespeare in Love and receiving it in the most iconic dress of her career, instead of keeping the trophy safe in a cabinet or proudly showing it off on her mantlepiece, Paltrow uses it as… a doorstop. And not a doorstop inside, but a doorstop for a gate in her back garden. Talk about legendary behaviour.
As well as repurposing one of the world’s most prestigious awards (we love a sustainable queen), here are three more key findings from Paltrow’s 73 Questions with Vogue.
She cringes at the fact she ever sang in public
And when she says public, she means when she starred in five episodes of Glee in the early ’10s. To be fair to her though, her pipes in the show were not bad at all (examples: her covers of CeeLo Green and Adele). As well as her portrayal of Holly Holliday earning her a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress, her involvement in the ill-fated show led her to meet her husband, writer and producer Brad Falchuk.
While singing might make her cringe, Paltrow later admits that she wishes she did it more. She then gives a candid (and very awkward) rendition of Coldplay’s ‘Life Is For Living’ as she saunters through her garden carrying a basket full of organic produce... Love it.
Don’t expect to see her in a leading role any time soon
As the interviewer points out, it’s been nearly 20 years since Paltrow had a leading role in a movie. Since then, she’s appeared in the likes of Iron Man, The Avengers and most recently American Horror Stories, and built her wellness empire. She won’t be taking on any starring roles just yet though, as she admits to missing zilch about actually doing them. She’s been very candid about her relationship with acting over the years, telling a radio show in 2020 that “part of the shine of acting wore off” after her Oscar win because of the pressure and scrutiny she began to receive. “I sort of felt like, well, now who am I supposed to be? Like, what am I, what am I driving towards?”
… And she offers advice for dating actors
Drawing on her relationships with actors including Luke Wilson, Donovan Leitch Jr., Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck, she gives those looking to date actors one piece of integral advice: “Skip it.” Queen!