Gwyneth Paltrow consciously detached herself from ordinary life years ago.
In the age of celebrity recognizability, with mysterious A-listers now sharing everything from breakfast to social media breakdowns, it’s a star who is completely at ease with the world knowing she exists on a higher plane of bone broth, vaginal candles and $8,000-day ski lessons.
When faced with a lawsuit, many A-listers may simply choose to pay up, regardless of who it is, rather than face the rigors of a potentially reputation-damaging court case. But the Oscar-winning turned wellness guru isn’t one of them.
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Gwyneth Paltrow’s court case in six minutes
The internet has been flooded with Paltrow for the past two weeks, as her high-profile legal battle unfolded on camera. It all started with a skiing accident involving a retired optometrist in Utah in 2016, and somehow ended up with global headlines about the star’s outfits, controversy over her offer to hand out treats in the courtroom — turned down! -and questions about her friendship with Taylor Swift.
She he won the case – only asking for $1 in compensation, because it was about principle – but for a woman who would scarcely have noticed she had it all gone for $300,000 (£242,000), the amount she’s being sued for, it’s was it really worth it?
Many were shocked hearing the details of the wealth and privilege that poured into court, but perhaps there were just as shocked by her dry response when asked what she had lost as a result of the accident. “Well, we lost half a day of skiing,” it quickly went viral. (Fortunately, she was still able to get a massage.)
And turning the classroom into a runway for her Goop brand, as well as other designers, no doubt helped with sales.
Depp’s two court cases – and very different outcomes
For some reason, celebrity lawsuits seem to be like busses at the moment. At the same time Paltrow was in court in the US, here in the UK a group included Prince Harry, Sir Elton John AND Liz Hurley they were hiring the editor of the Daily Mail in the High Court; last year, we had Johnny Depp v Amber Heard: Round 2 AND Wagatha Christie.
In 2020, when Depp first went to court in the UK – suing the editor of The Sun newspaper – the revelations about his relationship with Heard were staggering: “mega pints” of red wine, insults scrawled with the blood and paintings on the walls, crass text messages, destroyed apartments, human feces apparently left in a bed… not to mention the actual allegations of abuse.
Even before he lost his case, his reputation seemed to be ruined. But in 2022 she chose to experience it all again; this time by suing Heard herself and, as in Paltrow’s case, all on camera. Having followed the UK case through articles and bulletins, the world has now been able to watch it all unfold.
To know more:
Depp vs. Heard: The Key Evidence
Twelve of the most shocking celeb moments of 2022
photo: AP
Depp told the US court he lost “nothing less than everything” to Heard’s abuse allegations. When asked why he chose the humiliation of his private life being publicly scrutinized rather than remaining silent, he said he was “obsessed” with the truth and wanted to clear his name for himself and his loved ones. children of him.
After six weeks of rehearsals, the majority of the public seemed to side with the actor and the jury went against the judge in the UK, finding in his favour.
Before the verdict was even handed down, Depp was on stage in Sheffield, after joining Jeff Beck on his European tour. Other concerts – and a trip to meet a rescued badger – followed in the days surrounding his legal victory. Now, she is expected to play Louis XV in Jeanne Du Barry, his first major role since the court cases, later this year; his supergroup The Hollywood Vampires will tour in the summer, and there are reports he may even return to the Pirates franchise.
“It’s… Rebekah Vardy’s account”
For Depp, it was probably worth it. For Rebekah Vardy, who refused to back down in her lawsuit against Coleen Rooney despite being offered a settlement before the eventual court case, she probably wasn’t.
During the court hearing, it was alleged that he had leaked stories to the tabloids, not only about Rooney, but also about Leicester City footballer husband Jamie Vardy’s teammates and others, and that he had organized paparazzi snaps of the wives and of the girlfriends of England players during the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
In a damning verdict, Justice Steyn described Vardy’s evidence as “manifestly inconsistent … evasive or implausible” – while Rooney’s evidence was “honest and reliable.”
Subsequently, Vardy asserted his innocence in an interview with TalkTV, saying, “It seems that the judge just read what was written in the media and assumed their narrative bias.”
To know more:
Five important moments in Paltrow’s testimony
Goop Sued Because Man Says Vagina Candle ‘Exploded’
However, it appears to be moving forward. Maybe all publicity is good publicity, as long as you can afford the expensive legal fees if things don’t go your way. Her latest posts on her Instagram show her on the ski slopes herself; we hope you are aware of the dangers.
After Paltrow’s win was read out in court, the plaintiff, Terry Sanderson — who must pay the star’s attorney fees, as well as his own, despite minimum $1 damages — was questioned by reporters waiting outside. When asked if the process “was worth it,” he replied, “Absolutely not.”
For Paltrow, perhaps it was. She’s dealt with years of attachment to her brand of well-being, but she’s never cared about the haters. And long after the point of this case is forgotten, the outfits — and undoubtedly the visits to the Goop website — will live on.
