She’s the daughter of actress Blythe Danner and producer Bruce Paltrow who grew up in LA/NYC, then joined the family business.
There were small parts in movies like Flesh and Bone, Se7en and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, before leading roles in Emma, A Perfect Murder and The Talented Mr. Ripley, culminating in an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love.
She sang in Country Strong and on Glee, played quirky in The Royal Tenenbaums, campy in the Iron Man trilogy, and an obsessive mom in husband, Brad Falchuk’s Netflix show, The Politician.
In 2008, she started an advice newsletter that is now a multi-million-dollar lifestyle brand called GOOP.
Along the way, even though the mother of two (from her previous marriage to Coldplay’s Chris Martin) never seemed better or worse than other actresses of her generation, she, in particular, rubbed many the wrong way.
Yet, when not surrounded by family, the mogul doesn’t appear to be wanting for friends.
15 Beyonce And Jay-Z
Last year the Contagion actress and new husband Brad attended the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles to celebrate Beyonce and Jay-Z being given the prestigious Vanguard Award, bucking rumors that she was no longer friends with the music powerhouses due to her divorce from Chris Martin, because back in 2006, all four became friends.
14 Jerry And Jessica Seinfeld
The Sliding Doors star is so tight with the comedian and his wife Jessica that the couple opened their Hamptons home and hosted her rehearsal dinner before she married second husband Brad Falchuk in 2018. The GOOP CEO has been a supporter of Baby Buggy, which is the charity created by the Deceptively Delicious cookbook author.
13 Stella McCartney
The influential British fashion designer and the Hollywood fashion icon have been friends for two decades and even collaborated on a fashion project Stella McCartney X GOOP of which the Malice actress described The Beatle’s daughter as “a sister…who is as honest with as she is loving…hilarious and a bit naughty.”
12 Cameron Diaz
The decade long bond began after the 2008 death of The Holiday star’s dad. The cookbook author reached out because she understood the pain of losing a parent. (Bruce Paltrow died in 2002.) They have since moved on to happier times, such as the star of My Best Friend’s Wedding helping her pal plan her recent nuptials.
11 Chris Martin And Dakota Johnson
“I love her,” says The Politician star of her ex-husband’s girlfriend and Fifty Shades of Grey star. She seems to still love Chris Martin as well, although no longer in love with him. Everyone mocked when they “consciously uncoupled,” they have proved that divorced people raising children together can stay friends, with Brad Falchuk as well.
10 Jennifer Aniston
They share more than a relationship with Brad Pitt. "I've known [Gwyneth] a long time. That woman has got style to the moon and back. Chic, effortless, gorgeous. This sums us up," the Friends alum shared, adding: "She's always been sweet to me." No wonder she was invited to the engagement party of the View From The Top actress.
9 Kate Hudson
The two Hollywood blondes are not just BFFs; The Great Expectations actress considers the How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days star, “My little sister,” adding that "she radiates happiness and makes everything fun.” To prove it, the Fabletics co-founder appeared on the debut episode of the Goop Your Bar Cart series to share mixology tips and drunk stories.
8 Ross Matthews
Years ago, when the roly-poly, former Chelsea Lately comedian saw the Great Expectations actress pointed to his stomach and said, "'What's going on here? I love you. Get it together." Since then, the one-time 220-pound performer has lost 40 pounds by exercising and dieting, so his pal's honesty seems to have worked.
7 Tracey Anderson
After 10 years, the celebrity fitness guru and her workout fiend client, are not just exercise buddies, but besties and business partners with GP investing in the trainer’s studios.
Hired at first to help the actress lose the baby weight for a role, she recalls “I already had met with celebs that were 100 percent not aware…entitled. [Paltrow] was gracious, lovely, genuine, transparent, vulnerable, and respectful.”
6 Derek Blasberg
He’s been called the Truman Capote of Instagram and the most connected man in fashion. Is it a shock that he is friends with the fashionista who’s pink Ralph Lauren princess gown is still talked about as though she won the Oscar yesterday? The actress once said that she fell in love with the journalist after 10 seconds.
5 Robert Downey Jr.
Another two-decade friendship of which she calls her Ironman co-star, “my brother, friend and supporter…a mega genius and the weirdest comedy writer of all time.” He gave the toast at her wedding and says of his friend and his wife who are also pals: "Susan and Gwyneth organize our ability to stay close and be current with each other's lives."
4 Drew Barrymore
Of her longtime friend, the lifestyle mogul said: “The deep love and loyalty you have for your friends and daughters fill us with joy and inspiration!!” The response from the Charlie’s Angels star--who calls her pal GPS because “she always knows where everything is”--was to remind her: “We have an amazing pack of women who love each other and love to share life with.”
3 Elise Loehnen
The chief content creator at GOOP, is also her boss’s right-hand woman-cum-friend who’s also a mother of two, says the Mortdecai actress “feels like transparency is essential. She’s involved in everything; she reads the entire newsletter, full-proofing every news line and story. I don’t know how she does it – she’s capacious; it’s impressive.”
2 Julia Cuddihy Van Nice
“When you’ve had the same best friend since 7th grade, you feel a deep gratitude for all that life lived side by side. I AM SO LUCKY TO KNOW AND LOVE YOU. No one makes me laugh like you do,” said the Shallow Hal actress of her childhood friend, then added: “We used to be 17 but today...47.” Well, that happens.
1 And Her High School Friends
“The original six since 1985,” is how the Running With Scissors actress referred to this group. How many can say they still know people from when they were 13 or so? No wonder their smiles are genuine and there is an ease about them being together.
Something a lot of people would love to experience with GP but never will. Perhaps that’s why they’re so annoyed.
Sources: Instagram, Business Insider, Irish Examiner, The Telegraph, Vanity Fair, Elle