Gwyneth Paltrow is launching “Good Clean Goop,” a mass-market extension of Goop Beauty and her Goop wellness supplements. Good Clean Goop will be available at Target and Amazon and she’s seemingly put some effort into making products at an affordable price point for peasants. We’ll see! To promote this new thing, Gwyneth gave a lengthy interview to Bustle. She talked about the products, of course, but in typical Gwyneth fashion, she also touched on the “nepo baby” issue and the fact that she didn’t watch Prince Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview. Some highlights from Bustle:
The Sussexes’ Oprah interview: “Do you know I’m the only person in America that did not see that interview? Well, I didn’t watch it at the time, and now I can’t… I don’t know where to find it. I’m so out of it culturally. It’s really embarrassing. Oh, my God, you have no idea. I was sitting with a friend yesterday, and she was like, “Did you see something, something… about…” I was like, “What?” She goes, “What is wrong with you?” It was like three big things in a row, and I was like, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Launching Good Clean Goop at Target & Amazon: “We actually started the conversations with Target years and years ago. I really like Target. I think it’s a great brand. I’ve been spending a lot of more time in Target lately, just looking at the breadth of what’s available. They have cool spins on things, and they seem to care about aesthetics. Then Amazon, the consumer is there, and so you want to make it easy.
Her life is messy: “I’m in a phase where I feel like things are just extra, extra messy because I have so much to do. My son and stepson are both seniors in high school, and sometimes I feel like the college process is a full-time job in and of itself. So I’m trying to keep the domestic stuff on track, and we have a lot going on at the company… So I’m just f*cking up. I’ve burned three things in the oven this weekend, just stuff like that, where you’re like, “What the f*ck?” I should say I’m trying to learn to be more tolerant with myself when I make messes, because I really don’t like it. It’s just one of those seasons. It’s like this fulcrum of life. I thought in my 50s I could downshift for some reason. I don’t really know why I thought that would happen. I was talking to my friend who’s in her 60s, and she’s like, “Oh, no. No way. You got 15 more years.” I was like, “Oh, my God.”
Turning 50: “Fifty was great. I was concerned I was going to feel a lot of grief or fear because I remember when I turned 40, the anticipation… I really flipped out. I didn’t have that at all at 50. I was like, “I love my friends. I love my husband. I love my kids. Yeah, my job is hard. But this is good.” To your point, it’s like: I don’t give a f*ck what anyone says about me, thinks about me, this is who I am. I felt like 50 was a deepening into myself. And, apparently, that just keeps getting better.
Having a 19-year-old daughter: “It’s so fun to have a daughter that age, especially because she’s into clothes and skin and all that kind of stuff. She’s more girly than I am. She’s really good at doing makeup and loves to do it. I just don’t wear makeup that requires skill. I can wear lip balm, I can wear cheek color and mascara, and that’s as far as I go. It’s great because she’s plugged in to the cool stuff, and not the rubbish-y, depressing part of our culture. We were FaceTiming yesterday, and she was telling me how she uses all the Goop products. I never pushed anything, but over time she’s just migrated over to it, and so I was beaming from ear to ear. She’s such an eminently nice person, and her values are in the right place.
The nepo baby conversation as it might pertain to Apple: “Now there’s this whole nepo baby culture, and judgment that exists around kids of famous people. She’s really just a student, and she’s been very… She just wants to be a kid and be at school and learn. But there’s nothing wrong with doing or wanting to do what your parents do. Nobody rips on a kid who’s like “I want to be a doctor like my dad and granddad.” The truth is if you grow up in a house with a lot of artists and people making art and music, that’s what you know, the same way that if you grow up in a house with law, the discussions around the table are about the nuances of whatever particular law the parents practice. I think it’s kind of an ugly moniker. I just hope that my children always feel free to pursue exactly what they want to do, irrespective of what anybody’s going to think or say.
The nepo baby conversation and Gwyneth’s disdain for the “ugly moniker” is so funny, given that Gwyneth was the biggest nepo baby of the 1990s. That was her whole deal, she was “Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow’s daughter” and Gwyneth milked her “Hollywood royalty” status. Now, I also think Apple seems harmless and she’s barely doing nepo-baby things. She’s a college student who went to one Chanel show and gave one interview to People. Maybe Apple will nepo-baby out in the future, but for now, she’s fine.
As for not watching the Sussexes’ Oprah interview… it does come across as out-of-touch. It comes across like Gwyneth lives inside her ass and doesn’t realize that there are other big cultural moments outside of Goop-ville.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Leave it to Gwyneth to address a point of the nepo baby conversation nobody was even talking about.
“Nobody rips on a kid who’s like “I want to be a doctor like my dad and granddad.”
Bish please. You have to get into pre-med and medical school program to become a doctor. That’s a lame-ass comparison and nonsensical reponse to nepotism. If I was a mother with children her age I would absolutely be checking out what’s going on in pop culture. She’s trying to sound too cool for school in my opinion.
She sidesteps a major point: it’s not that you do what your family members did because you were exposed to it. It’s that you excel rapidly up the ladder due to family connections, regardless of talent level or work ethic. And acting, of all things, is dependent on who you know more than anything. Actors are a dime a dozen and it’s a soft skill, IMO.
People do complain about this all the time – in the form of legacy admissions and nepotism in general. The world doesn’t revolve around Hollywood, GoopALoop.
Says the founder of GOOP phuck she’s so insufererable
Well I have to disagree about her head being up her ass because I think it’s up her vagina which she has had a candle made to smell like hers. She is the ugly nepo baby moniker no doubt about that.
She’s completely missed the point about nepo culture. It’s not doing what your parents do that people object to. It’s getting an easy ride, getting instant access to the best agents and advisers, access to your parents contacts, modelling contracts and sponsorships based only on your surname, and doors opened for you everywhere. Especially when you lack talent and wouldn’t make it without those contacts.
Amen to this!
Exactly! The comparison also misses the point that compensation for that modeling contract or acting gig is significantly more than what the doctor or lawyer will receive after completing 7-10 years (if not more, I’m only including residency) of costly, difficult education and training. My pre-med student (like most future doctors) will almost certainly finish in debt. And yes, let’s be honest – most of the nepo models/actors/etc. would have never made it without mommy and daddy’s help. Celebs really need to STFU about this topic or just acknowledge their privilege and move on. Rant finished 🙂
NEPO models will get paid well, because their parent’s lawyer will negotiate a good gig for them. Regular models will shuffle themselves from one casting call to another and may not book any jobs.
I will say that while it’s a bad comparison, Nepo doctors DO exist to a certain extent. My MIL’s father was able to get both her AND my FIL into a top medical school in a different country due to his connections. Granted, once there, they had to prove themselves; they also had to pass the boards/find residency once they came back to the US, so they have to put in the work. It’s still astonishing how it happened though. It was worth it for them; my MIL loved being a doctor while my FIL didn’t care that much for it.
I think it’s pretty great that both of her kids are going/planning to go to college. That often doesn’t happen with nepo babies. Agree with girl ninja that some of the professions she mentions are distinct because they require testing, etc. but having connections in those industries (or at least in law) IS helpful once you pass those barriers. For someone so out of touch, I found her comments on the nepo baby conversation surprisingly inoffensive.
She might be out of the loop as she is saying, but one thing for sure she does know if she mentions the Sussexes she will get more clicks and coverage for her Target and Amazon launch🤣🤣🤣🤣
Of course she watched it. She just doesn’t want to be drawn into it.
Well, if I’m being fair, most people don’t follow royal family stuff even half as closely as we do. I don’t think it’s unusual that she didn’t watch it, none of my friends did either. They were aware it happened, but they don’t care and it’s not conversational for them- that’s why I come here.😁
I didn’t watch it either and I’m pretty tuned into pop culture. No one I knows cares about the Sussexes or the BRF. There are other topics of discussion.
I didn’t watch it either. I get my royal family fix through this site. But to be fair, I really prefer print interviews and never watch interviews, I don’t like watching people cry. As for Gwyneth…ugh. She is tedious. I cannot even imagine hanging out with her. Thank goodness I’m a Gen X peasant, there is no chance of our paths crossing.
I didn’t find it remarkable, either, that she didn’t watch the interview. The only person I know who cares enough about the BRF to talk about them is my 82 year old mother — and she loves William and Kate, so I avoid the subject at all costs. None of my friends care one bit about any of them. Nor does my 19 year old daughter or her friends.
Her whole life is nepotism or getting jobs she wasn’t qualified for:
First acting jobs in theatre – through her mother at Williamstown. Gwynnie wasn’t even a high school Theatre kid.
First film job – through her godfather Steven Spielberg in Hook.
Consistent jobs in the 90s and early noughts through Harvey Weinstein. It’s incredibly rare for an actor to make that many films with one studio.
College through Michael Douglas at UCSB because she couldn’t get into other colleges. She flunked out anyway because she wanted to be an actress.
First opportunity to be a co-director, Glamour magazine gave her and her best friend Mary Wigmore who actually went to film school a grant to make Making Sandwiches a short film.
CEO of Goop – she has no business qualifications and had never run a company but was given Chief Content Officer after writing newsletters in her London kitchen and then had potential investors.
First opportunity to release a song was through her dad’s directed movie Duets – Bette Davis Eyes.
No wonder she is so defensive and insists she is self made. All of the small to big opportunities she has received in her life are due to nepotism or her name and she is very mediocre. She’s probably a great mom and cook though.
To be fair, she also speaks Spanish.
Remind me to send her a cookie.
una galleta
“It comes across like Gwyneth lives inside her ass”, nothing new here.
It’s not at all strange that she didn’t watch the Oprah interview. Not everyone is as obsessed with Harry and Meghan as you are. Yes, them leaving the royal family is certainly an important cultural moment, but I think far more people in the world didn’t watch that interview, or only watched snippets later, than people who did.
Although I like them, I never watched it as a whole either because it didn’t make any sense to pay an entire subscription for an interview. I get snippets from it on YouTube anyway….
Goop doesn’t have a money issue though, but she’s akways been so up far her backside so not surprised about what she said in the interview….
The reason GP really hates the term “nepo baby” and is clearly triggered by it is b/c her biz success relies heavily on her 90s-’00s “image”. Back in that time the media was heavily controlled and curated and the term “nepo baby” would not exist b/c the ppl that controlled the media at that time were nepo/privileged babies themselves. GP was viewed in the 90s-’00s as this lithe chic “classic American Beauty” who was “so talented” and made all these indie hits (sliding doors, Shakespeare in Love, Royal Tennabaums) and who dated Chris Martin at the height of Coldplay’s popularity.
Now looking back ppl realize oh Steven Speilberg gave her the role in Hook which yes did help her. Her parents supported and encouraged her acting career so getting in the door which is 99% the toughest part in working in Hollywood was not an obstacle for her. There’s rumors about her relationship with Weinstein (and how she got those roles), she stole Shakespeare in Love from WR, her Oscar was clearly bought by Weinstein. Ppl are re-examining all the nepo babies and those nepo babies from the 90s-’00s who are insecure about it are showing their true colors.
I also recall the comparisons made of Gwyneth Paltrow to “a cool Hitchcock blond” by a reporter on Entertainment Tonight when Paltrow was filming “The Talented Mr. Ripley” with Matt Damon, etc. She sopped up all the signs welcoming her into the club at the time.
Gwenyth once again misses the point – yes many people do the same career that their parent does, but entertainment is so highly sought after, and the key is access – she had access to all of those early roles and building a resume because of her parents and their connections. She never had to go out there and audition a million times in hopes of getting a line on CSI or something.
One thing I do have in common with her – I’ve never watched the whole Sussex interview myself. I’ve seen clips, and always meant to go back and watch it, but honestly I’m so burnt out on royal gossip and news.
I disagree w her on so many things but she is definitely right on this. I’m tired of unwarranted nepo baby hate. I get it if they are super entitled and annoying and act like they had a tough uphill climb…but you can’t change who your parents are. I swear some trolls won’t be happy until nepo babies off themselves they can be so vicious (generally not saying here necessarily).
I wonder what Apple could do that would make the nepo baby critics happy. Should she be an accountant? For now she has your approval as a mere student…but what about later? Will she then be ripped apart if she decides to pursue acting?
I have mental health issues and struggle even as I do well enough as a middle class normie. I can’t imagine even w extreme privilege how I would be managing that level of public condemnation as a young person as some nepo babies receive .
These days, I feel People are very unsympathetic to anyone who has a different life experience from them.
No she is definitely not right on this lol.
What Apple could do is the same way the Nepo babies who are legitimately talented respond. She should take her cues from Elizabeth Olsen who answered this question impeccably. She said she knew the nepotism argument would dog her throughout her career so she worked HARD on her craft at drama school so that every performance she gives, she has all the tools to deliver. That’s why no one questions her talent or brings up the nepo baby convo with her repeatedly b/c she has the talent to back it up.
Also see Allison William’s response on the nepo baby convo. She gave a great response as well.
Nepotism exists and will continue to do so. How you use and your self-awareness around it and the types of opportunities you provide for those around you will determine how you face this question and for most nepo babies, this is probably the toughest thing they’ll face in their career in which case I would say they have it pretty damn good compared to the overall population.
I agree that the examples you cite are wonderful examples of gracious ways to handle it. However note that they knew they would be hounded. Why do we the public feel we must do this? Why must people be taken down a peg at all if they don’t act entitled to begin with? As you say, nepotism and privilege exists. What on earth is the hounding of celeb kids going to do? Nothing but hurt them.
I don’t think that young people should have to have to answer to us like this. Let them figure their shit out. We don’t know what their emotional lives are like or how mentally stable they are. If they reveal themselves to be spoiled brats then fine, criticize, but it seems to happen there is this broad critique (often harsh) before anything like that is even revealed.
@J – Its not taking someone down. Calling someone a nepo baby is not a slur by any means. Its calling someone who is rich and privileged in an industry where connections is 99% of the challenge, what it is. Its holding them accountable b/c not all success is equal. There’s a difference between someone being on third base and those that worked tirelessly to not even be able to enter the stadium.
If nepo babies feel that defensive for being called a nepo baby (which is really code for privileged and well connected) then perhaps they should use that to do inner work and ask why it triggers them as it is their reality and how they can work to be a productive good member of society.
But give me a break, if nepo baby is the worst thing you’re called and the biggest career challenge at when you’re 18 /early 20s then really your life is far too easy. They should see how normal people their age are struggling just to get any job that does not remotely pay the bills so they can get some much needed perspective on their situation.
J money, look it up in Merriam Webster it is an insult. Lol this is getting ridiculous.
I don’t know if they feel defensive or not, but I don’t think the public calling them names when they are starting out in adult life is very nice.
You aren’t even addressing all my points. I’m done with talking to you.
I have seen newspaper articles tagging nepo babies before they have shown any problematic behavior. Happens all the time online too.
I don’t think the tag becomes stuck on a nepo baby until they’ve proven that they continue to get work despite little talent. I actually think that people are willing to wait to see how someone does. But the tag comes when offspring skip the hard work and the long line to land a part and then prove to the world that they were not prepared for it. And if they are going to take a role i think they will need to be able to accept criticism like every other person in their industry. Kids need to prove themselves all of the time – through schoolwork, tests, regular jobs, internships, etc.. Not sure why we need to protect the 1% from having to prove themselves.
This is the thing – it DOES get stuck on kids who haven’t even started. I’ve seen newspapers call even the “good” ones with society’s blessing nepo babies.
And the ones coming up will see it out in the world and be scared off from daring to their full potential. I think that is sad. Sue me for caring.
I care about the top 1 and the bottom 1 percents and all in between. I was bullied as a kid and i hate it no matter where I see it.
I hate how we’ve become such a sick society that we are just hell bent on disparaging people who don’t grow up like us, whether rich or not.
I hate name calling of anybody just because of how they were born.
J. i also feel the issue is more nuanced. There are indeed kids out there who have got gigs they are unsuited for simply because of who their parents are – Kate Moss’s daughter, for example, is not model material, ditto Cindy Crawford’s daughter. But working within the same industry as your parents, or getting luckier because of it, is common beyond people such as Paltrow. For example, lawyer parents with kids who want to become lawyers; yes, their youngsters will have to work hard at their studies, but there are still breaks – be it merely advice from family connections about the best courses and firms, right up to helping them get a foot in the door. This is my experience of family here in the UK. Also, what is someone like Paltrow expected to do – stop her children from mixing with friends and family in her circle, for fear they may end up working with them?
Thanks Sparrow. I feel like everyone has their pitchforks out
You didn’t even cover the funniest parts of the interview! Data collection is talking to your friends and no one has written a book on being a step parent! Don’t ever change, you pretentious, unintentionally hilarious idiot!
This all said after Apple has already been front row at Chanel and given an interview to People… She can’t see the VAST advantages of nepotism?
Of course she can see its advantages. She’s against people condemning the kids for it.
I think not all “nepotism” is nefarious and bad…it certainly my can be. But sometimes, privilege just is.
And people calling out other ppl for being privileged is not condemning them. It’s calling a spade a spade b/c what has she done to “earn” that spot? Did she work tirelessly like Zendaya and Penelope Cruz? No she was literally born to GP and Karl Lagerfeld told GP she’d be a Chanel girl. That’s it.
But we’re supposed to believe that everyone there got there through their own merits and hard work? And if we point out someone who literally did nothing of merit except be born to wealthy/connected parents, we are now seen as condemning them? b/c we dare say one group worked for it and the other did not?
Jmoney you are building a straw man argument. Calling a spade a space has its place but is it time to do so for all these kids being branded nepo babies? And yes it is a slur. It is name calling.
I never said there is no place to call our privilege. When it is needed, if someone is acting entitled. Why undercut a kid’s accomplishment right out of the gate?
You are not accurately describing the real venom out here for some of these nepo babies. I don’t see G saying she got here through her pure grit and pluck. Yes she should have said something more akin to Allison Williams but she’s not wrong about what she said here.
@J – Definition of “Slur”: an insinuation or allegation about someone that is likely to insult them or damage their reputation. Nepo baby is NOT a slur.
No it does not damage their reputation. If it did they wouldn’t be able to work or get jobs which they clearly are. Like I said, there are nepo babies who can answer the question well and there’s clearly a standard now all precious Apple and all the other nepo babies need to do is follow suit.
“Why undercut a kid’s accomplishment out the gate” – LOL what accomplishment? Who their parents are? What did Apple accomplish by attending the Chanel fashion show and Gwyneth accomplish by being cast in Hook without an audition? You mean Brooklyn Beckham’s infamous photography book? Did they go to drama school and were known for applying themselves? Like I said the example for good nepo babies are there but if they choose not to pursue that path that’s on them.
Surely she hates it because she was *the* 90s nepo baby, wasn’t she?
She was reasonably pretty and reasonably talented, but would never had had such a successful career if it weren’t for her contacts- to me she never had the It presence required to be a genuine star.
Just compare her Shakespeare in Love with Cate Blanchett’s Elizabeth (nominated for an Oscar the same year) and the difference in talent is embarrassing.
In fact looking back at the 90s, to me Paltrow and Stella McCartney were the ultimate nepo babies.
I’m still salty AF about her undeserved Oscar.
The amazing Emily Watson was also nominated for Hilary and Jackie that year- another fabulous film with great performances.
Agree, learning how Harvey used block voting by academy members through fear and promises. Is disturbing. He gamed the system to get his way. That is what he did for Gwyenth and went on a massive media tour trying to get Meryl another Oscar for August: Osage County. And was apoplectic when she didn’t win.
And you’re kind of an ugly person, Gwynnie! Let’s not kid ourselves – if it wasn’t for her folks being buds with Spielberg she’d never have a career… (haven’t had coffee and she rubs me the wrong way!)
I know I’m probably in the minority here but I re-watched Shakespeare in Love recently and I thought she was just luminous and wonderful, easily the best part of that film.
I agree.
She’s a good actress! I don’t care for her new venture with goop but can agree w you there.
I wouldn’t get my skincare products from a person who doesn’t even know how to use sunscreen and looks like her.
She has never lived outside her own ass, but I don’t think that’s the reason why she claims to be out of touch with cultural moments. Gwyneth is the most important thing in the world to Gwyneth and so she needs to pretend she lives in a world where nothing else matters.
Notice how she doesn’t say she has ever bought anything at Target, like a poor. I’d like to see what does “affordable” prices mean to Gwyneth. The whole point of GOOP is that it’s ridiculous and not for normal people, making it in any way affordable is against the essence of GOOP.
Historically, high fashion pitched to the rich doesn’t keep a designer/fashion house afloat forever. Selling to the wider market does. It sounds like GOOP has gone as far as it can soaking the wealthy and needs “the poors” to really hit the big profits.
Hilarious! Time to relate to us poor folks so she can get our money.
Again, being a lawyer/doctor/carpenter/robot designer because your parents and grandparents were too is NOT the same as being a movie star just because everyone else in the family did that. The whole point of the nepo discussion is that these kids go straight to “the Olympics” without having to lift a finger. Yes it takes talent to actually then “get medals in the games,” but just getting there is about 90 percent of the struggle.
Your analogy about having access “straight to the Olympics” is novel and apt. Especially in an industry where the “on-air” talent can be hired, get paid, and get famous while they are teens, children or even babies — you can’t say that about doctors, lawyers, or carpenters.
Her “I don’t know what’s going on, I just live in my castle”-attitude is so annoying. Also, why must she always stand so limp? I feel like gifting her small hand weights and a posture vest.
Ultimate nepo baby says WHAT??
She’s insufferable- and she loves being out of touch.
I don’t mind nepo babies if they are genuinely talented and know that they were born on third base and appreciate the opportunities. Ireland Baldwin was pretty open and honest about it. I think Bryce Howard stands on her own. I haven’t heard anyone call John David Washington a nepo baby. He’s a great actor who just happens to be Denzel Washington’s son.
It’s the ones that are either lying or willfully ignorant and act like they pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and did it themselves in interviews. Allegedly, Madonna forced Marc Jacobs to hire Lourdes as the face of his brand. Then she gives interviews about how she did it all herself. And don’t get me started on Lilly Depp, girl, no. Chanel didn’t just stumble upon you and hire you if your name was Lilly Smith.
That makes me incandescent with rage.
Eheheheeh. She sounds so much like GOOP-wannabee Tamerlane Usher, it ain’t funny. I’d give a million to know what she thinks of being the inspiration for not one, but two awful wellness guru characters (the other was in Knives Out)…🤮😂🤣
I’m so glad Wills has already solved racism, homelessness, and the climate crisis so he has time to work on the mystery of Meghan’s missing engagement ring. Eyes on your own paper, Pegs. The ring is hers, Harry gave it to her in contemplation of marriage. She went through with marriage, she gets the ring. She doesn’t even have to tell Harry where the ring is; it’s her property, just like Big Blue was Diana’s property and is now Kate’s (I think I shuddered a bit at that last bit).
It may be ugly, Gwyn, but you own it.