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    Gwyneth Paltrow’s dad gave her a serious reality check when she became famous

    And it’s really important.

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 29 March 2023 In News

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    Gwyneth Paltrow
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    Gwyneth Paltrow is one of the most talked-about women in the world, with her modern approach to relationships and her business Goop never failing to making viral news. 

    This week, it was her court case over a 2016 ski incident that made headlines - particularly for the strange nature of the trial and its non-stop meme-worthy moments. 

    News around the Hollywood star turned Goop founder has since gone viral, with stories resurfacing each day around the woman of the moment. 

    One such story detailed a setback, with the now 50-year-old opening up about how her dad had to give her a serious reality check when she was younger and experiencing fame for the first time.

    Gwyneth won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Shakespeare in Love when she was just 26, so it’s hardly surprising that fame might have gone to her head a little, something she admitted during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

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    "My philosophy is, like, fame is actually not very good for us as people because everybody starts removing all of your obstacles, and I think friction is actually what makes you grow," the actress explained. "And so all of a sudden, I was a pretty young woman and everyone was removing my obstacles and I got to stop waiting on line etc. whatever the case was, and I think incrementally, I started just behaving a little strangely or a little weird."

    Explaining how her father, director and producer Bruce Paltrow, gave her a reality check, Gwyneth recalled: "He said, in his inimitable Brooklyn way, 'Um, you're kind of turning into an asshole.'

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

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    "It ended up being this incredibly important moment in my life, where he really burst a bubble for me where I could see, 'oh this is actually really dangerous that everybody is wanting to remove obstacles,'" she went on to explain.

    It looks like we all need a Bruce Paltrow in our lives!

    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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