At 44, Gwyneth Paltrow
has been in more than 40 films, across every genre – from the beloved Peter Pan live-action Hook and thrillers Seven and The Talented Mr
Ripley, to Marvel blockbuster Iron Man and her Oscar-winning role as aspiring thespian Viola in Shakespeare In Love. She’s the mother of two tweens, Apple and Moses, with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, and despite their “conscious uncoupling” in 2014, the pair still holiday together as a family. Then there’s Goop. In 2008, Paltrow founded the online lifestyle platform as a place where highly curated but still holistic style, food, beauty and wellness recommendations could be shared by her and a select group of alternative-health practitioners. Balancing her work and home lives with a wellness empire and a wardrobe full of cashmere, Paltrow is a thoroughly modern working mother.
OUTWARDLY, YOU SEEM LIKE A VERY OPEN AND SPONTANEOUS PERSON. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR VIRTUES AND FLAWS?
I have a lot of flaws. For instance, I’m trying to become a more patient person. I always want more because I’m always doing multiple things at the one time. It could be at home, work, my children. That’s my biggest flaw – impatience. I believe my biggest virtue is that I’m a good friend. My friends have told me I’m very supportive, that I’m always there when they need help. I’m always aware of them and I’m always there for them.
WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TO AGEING GRACEFULLY?
I love being 44! When I was 38 and 39, I used to panic about turning 40. I used to think, “My God! What is going to happen to me?!” But now I feel more comfortable, more relaxed; I’ve stopped worrying about what people think of me. I think turning 40 is such a gift. I believe women of this age have an in-built software that suddenly updates itself and you come into yourself in the most amazing way. You become more open and much more relaxed. I believe you should not focus on insignificant details.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE FEATURED IN AN ELLE MAGAZINE?
Wow! That was a long time ago. I was about 20 years old. I consider myself very lucky for having been on an ELLE cover 20 years ago and to be able to be on the cover now in my forties. I respect magazines that bet on women of all ages.
“I THINK TURNING 40 IS SUCH A GIFT. I BELIEVE WOMEN OF THIS AGE HAVE AN IN-BUILT SOFTWARE THAT SUDDENLY UPDATES ITSELF AND YOU COME INTO YOURSELF IN THE MOST AMAZING WAY”
“MY CHILDREN ARE EVERYTHING TO ME. BEING A MOTHER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I HAVE DONE IN MY LIFE. MOTHERHOOD HAS TAUGHT ME MINDFULNESS”
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE? My children – they’re everything to me. They’re the reason I wake up every morning. Being a mother is the most important thing I have done in my life. Motherhood has taught me mindfulness and, thanks to that, my heart is full. It’s something truly amazing.
BEFORE OUR PHOTOSHOOT, YOU WERE TALKING TO THEM VIA FACETIME. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS DO WHEN YOU’RE AWAY? Yes. When I travel I make sure I call them every morning to chat with them just before the start of their day.
THE THREE OF YOU ARE OFTEN SPOTTED AT COLDPLAY CONCERTS, AND CHRIS HAS SAID THAT SOME OF THE SONGS WERE WRITTEN FOR YOU, APPLE OR MOSES. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE SONG? All of them! Truth be told, we love Chris so much. His music is amazing. He is amazing; his actual tour is incredible. I love all his songs. I can’t think of a song I don’t like. The children love all his songs; they know all the lyrics by heart. They can’t stop singing at every concert.
YOU’RE AN ACTRESS AND A MOTHER, AND YOU’RE ALSO A BUSINESSWOMAN. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CREATE GOOP? There was a stage in my life where I was living in London with my family. I didn’t want to stay away from them filming on set or travelling all the time. But I define myself as a very creative and active person. So I decided that I wanted to do something as a lifestyle brand. I could not have anticipated what Goop would become; today I am responsible for 50 people working on the project.
AND YOU COORDINATE EVERYTHING AT GOOP? Yes. I am the heart and soul of the platform. It’s very interesting as I am in charge of the website’s creative direction but I’m also in charge of the business side of Goop, which is a lot more complicated than the creative side. I love the learning process and to see that we keep growing as a lifestyle brand. I feel very fortunate that I am very passionate about it.
YOU OFFER ALL TYPES OF ADVICE ON THE SITE. WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED, THAT YOU RELY ON EVERY DAY? To always be yourself. I used to worry about other people’s opinions of me. I lost so much time because I didn’t always say what I wanted to say. That’s what women do. We don’t want to come across as strong or stubborn. We don’t want to hurt others. So the most valuable lesson I have learned is to be true to yourself.