‘I’m famous . . . At what cost?’
Gwyneth Paltrow’s attorneys asked the daughter of a man suing the actorturned-lifestyle influencer over a 2016 ski collision about missing GoPro camera footage that they called “the most important piece of evidence” at trial yesterday.
Steve Owens, Paltrow’s attorney, asked one of the man’s daughters, Polly Grasham, about emails exchanged with her father about the mysterious footage and the possibility that the lawsuit was filed against Paltrow because she was famous.
The GoPro footage has not been found or included as evidence for the trial.
“I’m famous . . . At what cost?” Terry Sanderson, the 76-year-old retired optometrist suing Paltrow, wrote in the subject line of an email to his family after the crash.
Sanderson is suing Paltrow for more than US$300,000 ($480,000) in damages, claiming that she skied recklessly into him on a beginner run at Deer Valley Resort seven years ago, breaking his ribs and leaving him with a concussion.
Paltrow has claimed Sanderson caused the crash and countersued for US$1 and attorney fees.
The trial took on an increasingly personal note on the third day of proceedings when Sanderson’s daughter and a neuropsychologist testified about his declining health.
Sanderson’s attorneys tried to persuade jurors that the collision had changed the course of their client’s life, leaving him brain-impaired and damaging his relationships with loved ones.
Paltrow’s attorneys questioned whether Grasham and neuropsychologist Dr Alina Fong could say with certainty that Sanderson’s downturn wasn’t a result of aging or documented, pre-crash conditions. They questioned Grasham about her father’s anger problems, divorces and estranged relationship with another of his daughters, who is not testifying at trial.
Paltrow has previously called the lawsuit an attempt to exploit her fame and celebrity.
Owens, her lead counsel, asked Grasham why her father sent messages about his newfound fame.
“It matches his personality a little bit, making light of a serious situation,” Grasham said of the email.
Owens probed Sanderson’s “obsession” with the case and whether he thought it was “cool” to collide with a celebrity like Paltrow, the Oscarwinning star of Shakespeare in Love and founder-CEO of the wellness company, Goop.
Sanderson is expected to testify today about the lasting effects of the crash. He has not been present in the courtroom while his doctors and experts have detailed his health problems.
Paltrow could be called to testify over the weekend or early next week.
The proceedings thus far have touched on themes ranging from skier’s etiquette to the power — and burden — of celebrity.