‘Gwyneth: The Biography’ Revelations: Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy Rift, Body Image Obsession and More

A new book is exploring the life and legacy of Gwyneth Paltrow.

Written by New York Times bestselling author Amy Odell, Gwyneth: The Biography shares a revealing look into the actress’ upbringing, the acting career that led Paltrow to becoming an Academy Award winner, her relationships with fellow A-listers and the inception of Goop.

Just don’t expect a recommendation from Paltrow — in Gwyneth: The Biography, Odell reveals that she interviewed more than 200 people connected to the star. However, the book’s subject opted not to participate.

Here are some of the biggest revelations from Gwyneth: The Biography, out Tuesday, July 29.

Gwyneth Was Obsessed With Body Image

In the book, Odell writes that the Shallow Hal star, who attended Spence, an all-girls private school in New York City, “possessed disdain for fat people that was apparent to her fellow students.” Odell claimed that while Paltrow was changing into a bathing suit in the locker room, Paltrow — who had allegedly once created a list of classmates she “hated” — turned to a fellow student “who was not as thin or nearly as confident” as she was and asked, “Isn’t it interesting how different people’s bodies are?” Odell also notes that Paltrow’s senior yearbook read that her biggest nightmare was “obesity,” and that she once allegedly paid for a friend’s tummy tuck.

She Was a Chainsmoker — and Madonna urged her to quit

A rebellious Paltrow, who admitted to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day until she was 25 years old during an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, began lighting up as a teenager. During her time at Spence, Odell writes, students would go to a spot near the school called The Stoop to smoke and meet boys. Paltrow’s father, Bruce, enlisted the help of Madonna — who was then married to Sean Penn, the son of his pal director Leo Penn — to try and get her to stop. According to Odell, the “Like a Virgin” singer wrote the then-teenager a letter including the lines “I wake up, I don’t smoke” and “Good girls live longer,” which Paltrow framed.

Michael Douglas Helped Her Get Into UC Santa Barbara

Paltrow was allegedly bothered by her Spence peers receiving college acceptance letters while she was getting rejections — including one from Vassar. Paltrow’s parents asked their A-list pal Michael Douglas to “put in a word” at the University of California, Santa Barbra for their daughter. Paltrow was admitted in 1991, but later dropped out to pursue acting.

Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy Was Not a Fan

In the ’90s, Paltrow was a fixture around the Calvin Klein offices — and she “irked” Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who was a publicist for the designer at the time. Odell claims that, according to a person in the know, Bessette-Kennedy made “cutting remarks” about the actress when she appeared in the papers.

Gwyneth and Brad Pitt Once Had to Vacate a Hotel Room

While filming 1996’s Emma, Paltrow’s then-boyfriend Brad Pitt visited her in London and the pair stayed in a balcony suite room at the famed Berkeley Hotel — under one caveat: They had to vacate at one point for reasons that were not explained. When the day came, the couple didn’t feel like relocating, however they were pushed to and later watched as Queen Elizabeth II arrived and dined in their suite.

Gwyneth Had Bad Blood With Matt Damon’s Girlfriends

During her on-again, off-again relationship with Ben Affleck, Paltrow became friendly with Minnie Driver before the English actress and Matt Damon ended their relationship in 1998. Odell writes, at one point, Paltrow “seemed to sour” on Driver, and, at a birthday party for the Return to Me star, Paltrow allegedly “mimed vomiting” behind Driver’s back.

Paltrow also helped set up Winona Ryder — who she briefly lived with following her split from Pitt — and Damon, but she was turned off by Ryder’s claim that she had been robbed twice following an argument with Damon. (According to Odell, Paltrow and Affleck believed the Stranger Things star had “fabricated the robberies” for attention.) According to a friend, Paltrow nicknamed Ryder “Vagina Ryder.”

A Crew Member Caught Her in a Private Moment With Ben

While filming 1998’s Shakespeare in Love, Affleck visited the actress on set, and Odell reports the pair were “openly affectionate” despite keeping their relationship under wraps in the press. The author claims a crew member went to Paltrow’s dressing room and caught her “in an intimate moment” with Affleck — who she referred to as a “technically excellent” lover during an appearance on Call Her Daddy — telling the staffer “not now.” Paltrow and the actor’s romance ended for good in 2000.

Gwyneth’s Friendship With Madonna Ended Following a Bizarre Encounter

The pop icon showed up unannounced to an island where Paltrow and Chris Martin were enjoying a getaway, which, a friend recalled, the actress found to be odd. One night, Odell writes, Madonna hosted a dinner where she “went off” on daughter Lourdes, much to Paltrow and Martin’s horror. The Coldplay singer allegedly described Madonna as “awful,” with Paltrow agreeing and cutting ties.

She Played a Role in Derek Blasberg’s Crappy Incident Being Made Public

In 2024, reports claimed that Derek Blasberg had an unfortunate accident at Paltrow’s guesthouse in Montecito. (Daily Mail reported the former Vogue employee had lost control of his bowels.) The Iron Man star — who allegedly openly spoke about the incident during dinner parties — was “so offended,” by Blasberg not apologizing, Odell writes In Gwyneth: The Biography, “that she ensured that the story leaked.”

Gwyneth Couldn’t Wait to Get Rid of One Marital Item

After her divorce from Martin — which she famously described as “consciously uncoupling” — Odell alleges that Paltrow was “eager” to discard the mattress she shared with him, allegedly declaring at the Goop office: “I had to get that energy out of the house.”