In March, Gwyneth Paltrow made some comments about the Duchess of Sussex’s lifestyle ventures, basically saying that Meghan is free to try to do anything and that Gwyneth has a “strong instinct” to stand up for women and female founders. Gwyneth made those comments in Vanity Fair, and over the course of about four days, there were a couple of shady moments where people (myself included) thought Gwyneth and her friends were not being quite so supportive. But Gwyneth ended up nipping that in the bud rather brilliantly, inviting Meghan over to her house in Montecito (they’re practically neighbors) and filming a cute little IG video with Meghan. Beef quashed, if a beef ever existed in the first place. Well, Gwyneth wants to underline that point: she is not down with being used in the tabloid war against Meghan.
Gwyneth Paltrow is standing country strong against random gossip. Nearly a month after the Shakespeare in Love actor denied rumors that she’s feuding with Meghan Markle, she called out online critics for creating a false narrative around their friendship.
“You know what I won’t be at this point in my life?” Gwyneth, 52, said in the April 24 episode of The World’s First Podcast With Erin & Sara Foster. “I won’t be a pawn in some drummed up, triangulation of women feud for your f–king clickbait. Leave us out of it. Don’t do that. I will not stand for that.”
Gwyneth—who shares daughter Apple, 20, and Moses, 19, with ex-husband Chris Martin—then gave the Duchess of Sussex, 43, a sweet shoutout, specifically noting that she’s “proud of her” and her latest business ventures. Indeed, in the last two months, the royal debuted her With Love, Meghan cooking show on Netflix, launched her As Ever lifestyle brand, and shared her new Confessions of a Female Founder podcast.
“I wish Meghan nothing but the best,” she continued. “It’s so great what she’s doing. Every woman deserves to go into anything they want to do.”
Emphasizing the mutual respect for each other, the Goop founder detailed spending time with Meghan—mom to Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, with Prince Harry—since they both live in Montecito, California.
“I’ve seen her and hung out with her,” she added. “I don’t know her super well, but she seems very lovely.”
“I won’t be a pawn in some drummed up, triangulation of women feud for your f–king clickbait.” Sure, I think Gwyneth was offended that her comments (especially the Vanity Fair interview) were twisted into an anti-Meghan story. That being said… uh, Tracy Anderson (Gwyneth’s business partner) was absolutely being shady. I honestly think that Gwyneth was surprised by how much coverage there was about what she said and what Tracy said. So she shut it down because she doesn’t want to be a pawn. If she’s beefing with someone, by god, she’s going to let you know and she’ll be the one driving the narrative.
Duchess Meghan and Gwyneth Paltrow 🤭
Well played Duchess!#WithLoveMeghan pic.twitter.com/pRf86zEGws
— ChrisBaronSmith (@ChrisBaronSmit1) March 25, 2025
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Netflix.
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- SANTA MONICA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – APRIL 05: American actress and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow wearing a Donna Karan New York RE15 gown, Messika jewelry, and Santoni shoes arrives at the 11th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony 2025 held at the Barker Hangar on April 5, 2025 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 984385232, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Gwyneth Paltrow, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- 11th Breakthrough Prize Awards at Barker Hanger on April 5, 2025 in Santa Monica, CA,Image: 984525086, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Gwyneth Paltrow, Credit line: Nicky Nelson/Wenn/Avalon
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- SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 05: Gwyneth Paltrow attends the 11th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at Barker Hangar on April 05, 2025 in Santa Monica, California.,Image: 984705744, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Gwyneth Paltrow, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer/Avalon
Good for Gwen standing up for other women and especially for Meg.
Defended her?
Patrow defended her against Patrow?
Don’t be fooled her by conversion.
With every word she distanced herself from Meghan several times, emphasizing with some emphasis and even disdain that she doesn’t know her at all. she doesn’t know anything about her, but her mother told her to speak well of women. As you can see, she didn’t listen here..
Then she released a malicious video, and at a time of massive attacks on Meghan.
This “apology” is rather the result of someone important from Montetico telling her to shut up and “clean up”.
Meghan “stuffed” her mouth with cake, as if saying – your mess, I came, but clean it up yourself.
Bravo, Gwyneth! I was so glad that she shut all the rumors down. I knew she and Meghan were friendly acquaintances, so I always doubted that she would try to shade her. Given the hate that GOOP has received, Gwyn knows firsthand what it’s like to be at the center of a backlash. While some of the Goop hate was deserved, some of it was not, and there was a misogynistic undercurrent to the backlash absent from the criticism of men, like Dr. Oz and RFK Jr., who have peddled questionable/harmful health tips. Given that Oz and RFK Jr are now serving in Trump’s cabinet, they are far more dangerous.
She shut down the rumors she started! A heroine indeed… And they are not good friends, which Paltrow has emphasized several times, saying she doesn’t know Meghan and knows nothing about her.
She’s media savvy. When she saw that being a mean girl to Meghan wasn’t going to work she turned cheek and ran. But she did it through her friend.
I agree w @bookworm
Goop did shade Megs w her video and her buddy Tracy was also obvious. But G had enough plausible deniability so when she did broker the cute pie vid it made her look like a hero. Sort of Charles wedding style actually.
Goopy is def media savvy and she saw how many in her core demo were unhappy w her coooking video that used Meghan’s music in her “actual” kitchen.
Ultimately I’m glad she’s come out on side for Meg but let’s be real- Goop is not suddenly a good gal.
@GAH
She didn’t take Meg’s side, she took her own.
Seeing how Meghan criticism was making headlines, she made this spiteful video, but she forgot that it was just tabloids and haters, and from normal people she was flooded with criticism that she didn’t expect, so she started to repair the damage, but only with herself in mind. She only saw the ridicule and slander against Meghan and she entered into it. She missed how M is respected and admired in the world, not only for what she does, but also for her attitude, that she can go above the mass hate and do her own thing.
The wealthy and famous community of Montecito sticks together. No one there sells out to the press or hates anyone. I suspect that someone famous in the community told her to shut up and clean up after herself.
This is exactly what Kate should have said publicly when the Meghan made Kate cry story came out.
I am not a Gwyneth fan but I find myself warming up to her as she aged and became more open. I think she has handled this controversy rather well. Of course she is thinking about her own brand and image first but not at Meghan’s expense.
I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. I wish Kate had done the same when the press started pitting her against Meghan.
How can you expect Kate to correct the crying story, as she and her mother spread it to the media.
Paltrow is dependent on a powerful and influential environment in Montecito and had to fix what she screwed up if she wanted to continue living there.
I still don’t think Tracy was being shady and people were trying too hard for a reach.
Must be all that pasta she’s now consuming (not to mention the wine) but I’m liking menopausal Gwyneth far more than I ever thought I would. I love what she said – brief, to the point, straightforward in support of women. Reminded me of Michelle Obama’s recent “I’m making decisions for me now” straight talk. More of this please from women with a platform!
I recently re-watched The Fall Guy and at one point Ryan Gosling screams “YOUR BRAIN NEEDS CARBS” at Aaron TJ and Gwyneth makes me think of that.
I’m stealing “I don’t know her super well, but she seems very lovely,” as a way to shut down drama llamas.
Loving all the comments pointing out that Gwyneth squashing the beef right away is what Kate should have done. Hard to do when you’re the one making the calls, but either way, it’s a clear tale of two approaches. One has people giving Gwyneth credit for being chill and media savvy while the other has Kate earning a reputation as a racist mean girl for life.
Whatever the case is, I’m glad it was shut down and that Meghan will no longer be used this way. I wish Kate had had a backbone and had done the same back in the day.