Before their friendship began, Madonna attempted to influence a young Gwyneth Paltrow in an unexpected way during the late 1980s. While Gwyneth was attending the prestigious Spence School in Manhattan, smoking was popular among students. Her father, TV producer Bruce Paltrow, sought help from director Leo Penn to have his wife, Madonna, write a note encouraging Gwyneth to quit smoking.
The pop superstar wrote a personal letter to Gwyneth that said,
Dear Gwyneth. Just to jot down my average day…I wake up, I don’t smoke…And I go home a happy, healthy me. Love, Me, Madonna. PS: Good girls live longer.
This gesture marked the beginning of their friendship.
Growing Closer and the Eventual Rift
As Gwyneth grew older, her relationship with Madonna strengthened, especially during her years in London with then-husband Chris Martin. The two were often seen together after workouts with trainer Tracey Anderson. However, Amy Odell’s biography Gwyneth: The Biography reveals that the friendship ended abruptly.
The turning point came during a vacation on an island where both Madonna and Gwyneth were present. Odell notes that,
Madonna seemed to know that Gwyneth would be there, which Gwyneth seemed to find strange,
adding an element of tension before an incident at a group dinner.
At the dinner, Madonna insisted that Gwyneth and Martin join a large gathering where she unexpectedly reprimanded her daughter, Lourdes. The confrontation surprised Gwyneth and Chris, leading to Chris saying,
‘I can’t be around this woman any more,’ Martin told Gwyneth. ‘She’s awful.’ Gwyneth agreed that Madonna was toxic and ended the friendship.
Past Praise for Madonna’s Support
Despite their fallout, Gwyneth once publicly acknowledged Madonna’s support during difficult times. In a 2008 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, she credited Madonna with helping her manage postpartum depression. Gwyneth remarked,
You can measure somebody by their children ultimately, and these children are phenomenal,
further adding,
They’re very polite. They’re sweet, kind, conscientious.
Inside the New Biography Releasing This July
Amy Odell’s Gwyneth: The Biography, which launched on July 29, is based on over 220 interviews and offers an in-depth look at Gwyneth Paltrow’s life. The book explores her career, personal relationships, and provides details on her now-defunct friendship with Madonna, shedding light on both their connection and its dissolution.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Gwyneth Paltrow a religion?
A. She grew up observing both Jewish and Christian holidays. Her brother had a Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13. Her father comes from an Ashkenazi Jewish family that moved from Belarus and Poland. Her mother’s background includes Pennsylvania Dutch (German) along with some Irish and English roots.
Q. Why does Gwyneth Paltrow speak so many languages?
A. Gwyneth Paltrow speaks three languages: English, Spanish, and French. She learned Spanish during her teenage years while living in Spain. During that time, she stayed with a host family, which helped her develop a deep appreciation for the country and its language.
Q. Why did Gwyneth Paltrow stop acting?
A. “When Apple was born, I really took a break from acting,” Paltrow explained. “The last movie where I was in every scene was during my pregnancy with her.” She and her ex-husband, Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin, have a daughter and a 17-year-old son together. Becoming a mother brought changes to her life, she mentioned.
Q. What illness does Gwyneth Paltrow have?
A. Gwyneth Paltrow Found Out She Has Osteopenia at Age 37: The Quiet Bone-Weakening Condition. Gwyneth Paltrow is famous for her focus on health. However, in 2010, the Oscar-winning actress unexpectedly shared that she had been diagnosed with osteopenia at only 37 years old.
