Book Review: ‘Gwyneth' is a portrait of a pioneering and polarizing ‘It girl' and wellness mogul
In both phases, she struggles with likeability in the press and from the public, often coming across in interviews as elitist and out of touch with 'normal' Americans. But that hasn't stopped her from succeeding on both fronts.
Blond, glamorous and patrician, Paltrow is the ultimate nepo baby, the daughter of actor Blythe Danner and TV producer Bruce Paltrow, acting from an early age at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts.
In the first half of the book, Odell charts Paltrow's rise from chain-smoking party girl at elite New York private school Spence to Hollywood 'It girl.' She starred in 1990s classics like ' Emma,' 'Sliding Doors' and 'Shakespeare in Love,' for which she won an Oscar at 26. She was on the cover of Vogue and constantly in the tabloids with movie star boyfriends like Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck.
But she eventually soured on Hollywood and turned to her burgeoning interest in lifestyle and wellness. She started Goop as a newsletter in 2008.
Goop promoted some dubious wellness theories and was hit with the same press bashing as she had gotten as an actor.
'Gwyneth has, to her extraordinary credit, found a way to be even more annoying,' the Guardian wrote when Goop launched in 2008.
But Odell — who didn't have access to Paltrow or any close family or friends, but based the book on more than 200 interviews with people who know or worked with Paltrow — shows Paltrow has a masterful control of her image, working negative press to her advantage.
At Goop, a $66 jade egg meant to be inserted vaginally and a $75 candle called 'This Smells Like My Vagina' were ridiculed in the press — and sold out in short order.
When Goop launched a travel app, an advertiser sponsored it with the promise that it would reach 10,000 downloads. 'Call it G. Spotting,' Gwyneth told an executive, according to Odell. 'Everybody will make fun of me for being an idiot and we'll have the 10,000 downloads we need right there.' It worked.
'Gwyneth: The Biography' is a satisfying read about the pioneering and polarizing actor and business woman.
___
AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Toronto Sun
More American couples are turning to Italy's 'dolce vita' in a quest for memorable weddings
Published Aug 01, 2025 • 4 minute read People look at Chinese couple in wedding clothes posing for photos in front of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Jan. 17, 2019. Photo by Alessandra Tarantino / AP Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — James Atkinson and Samantha Fortino toured a Tuscan vineyard and learned to make pasta and a Bolognese sauce alongside their family and friends in Florence. Atkinson discovered a penchant for chianti, while Fortino fell for Italy's hugo spritz — a cocktail that posed no risk of staining her wedding dress on July 24. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Italy has hosted a number of star-studded weddings in the past decade, most recently Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's extravaganza in Venice. Away from the spotlight, tens of thousands of ordinary Americans have set their sights on the country for their special day in recent years. 'Weddings in America can be a little too grand and a little bit too big and it ends up not really being about the couple,' said Fortino, 28, a neonatal nurse from Skaneateles, New York. 'We both just really wanted something intimate and meaningful.' Over 15,000 foreign couples wed in Italy last year, up 64% from 2019, the year before the pandemic, according to market research from the Center of Tourist Studies of Florence. Growth was led by U.S couples, who account for almost one-third of that total. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Italy was the top international destination for American couples after Mexico, according to Maryland-based wedding planning website The Knot. For many Americans, Italy embodies the simple, beautiful romance of a bygone era. Weather is balmy and its varied landscapes, from the sea to the mountains, stunning. The food is familiar and crowd-pleasing. But perhaps the biggest driver of the recent uptick is ample opportunity for a range of outings, which together with the wedding event are alluring for those on a quest for unique, memorable moments — part of a consumer trend termed 'the experience economy.' 'In the United States, everything is just more expensive for one night and we wanted to make an experience, so we did two nights here,' said Atkinson, 31, who owns a concrete company. 'It just seemed like way more worth it to us to do that and make a trip out of it with our family, our loved ones.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. One guest who had never visited Italy was ecstatic about the invite, and took advantage to tack on side trips, first to Venice and then with the wedding crew to Cinque Terre. Another, Gary Prochna, nearly didn't attend because of work piling up at his paving company. He eventually came around and was floored by the venue — a 15th-century villa with a sweeping view over Florence and its famous Duomo. 'I got married in the United States and our venue was very nice. I thought — until this moment — we had the best wedding,' said Prochna, 68, adding that he now hopes his daughters will get hitched abroad. More than half of Americans surveyed by Mastercard in January 2024 said they prefer to spend their money on memory-making experiences, and more than a third said they'd plan a whole trip around one particular experience. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Marcy Blum, a prominent luxury event planner based in Manhattan, said almost 90% of the weddings she plans abroad are in Italy. 'The reason Italy is so popular is because that's where your guests want to go,' she said. 'You send an invitation that you're getting married in Capri or Positano and everybody comes. Everybody. They want to come. Nobody cancels.' Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel and destination event service also based in Manhattan, said 60% of his company's events were outside the U.S. before the pandemic. Today it's almost 90%, nearly all split evenly between Italy and France. The threat of tariffs under President Donald Trump has given destination weddings a boost. Ezon has moved six events from the U.S. to Europe this year, because people were afraid tariffs on alcohol would cause their bar bill to explode. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The shift to destinations has benefited planners with networks across Italy and local vendors. According to Wedding Italy, the husband-and-wife team who put on the Atkinson wedding, American clients spend three times as much as Italians, due to more elaborate wedding decor and other events in their multiday lineup. Average spend on hometown weddings in the U.S. was $32,000 last year, according to The Knot. By comparison, foreigners' weddings in Italy cost an average 61,500 euros ($70,600) and typically have dozens fewer guests, the Center of Tourist Studies of Florence's data showed. In the garden where the Atkinsons held their service, cypress trees swayed in the wind as the bride emerged from the chapel, beaming in her lace mermaid-silhouette gown. She walked down the aisle as speakers played the theme song to Star Wars. It was her sneaky trick to make the groom cry, and it worked like a charm. Before the exchange of rings, before the lovebirds threw their arms around one another, their officiant said: 'Traditionally I would ask: Is there any reason why this couple shouldn't be married? But for goodness' sake — we all flew to Italy and can't get our points back! So instead I'll ask: Who here approves of this union?' Cheers all around. Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA World Editorials Tennis
Toronto Star
5 days ago
- Toronto Star
More American couples are turning to Italy's ‘dolce vita' in a quest for memorable weddings
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — James Atkinson and Samantha Fortino toured a Tuscan vineyard and learned to make pasta and a Bolognese sauce alongside their family and friends in Florence. Atkinson discovered a penchant for chianti, while Fortino fell for Italy's hugo spritz — a cocktail that posed no risk of staining her wedding dress on July 24. Italy has hosted a number of star-studded weddings in the past decade, most recently Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez 's extravaganza in Venice. Away from the spotlight, tens of thousands of ordinary Americans have set their sights on the country for their special day in recent years.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Katy Perry superfan from Alberta basks in newfound fame, puts Medicine Hat on the map
A Katy Perry superfan is basking in newfound fame after a video of him meeting the pop star garnered nearly a million views online. Perry, who is in Canada performing several shows on her Lifetimes Tour, invited concertgoer Braiden Palumbo on stage during a stop in Vancouver. Palumbo travelled all the way from Redcliff, Alta., to attend the show. Now, his neighbours are recognizing him from the cute interaction, which somewhat schooled Perry on small-town Prairie life. 'People come into the gas bar all the time and they don't even buy anything, they just want to take a picture with me,' he said on Tuesday. 'Growing up in a small town, only the people in the small town know who you are.' In the video, Palumbo tells Perry he is from Medicine Hat, which is a small city in southeastern Alberta that's very close to his hometown. The animated pop star looks bewildered and plays to the cheering crowd, saying she needs 'to study better geography.' 'Your hats are filled with medicine? Well you know for us Americans you are our medicine hats, we love it,' she says jokingly. From there, Perry was in for another lesson when the 20-year-old reveals he works at a Co-op gas bar. 'I'm sorry but you guys are way advanced, what is a Co-op gas bar?' she asks. When the fan explains it is just a gas station, Perry goes on to say 'it sounds really fancy.' Perry, who also made news this week after dining out with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sparking romance rumours, is known for interacting with fans during her extravagant performances. Palumbo said he is grateful to have had that shared moment with Perry, and to put a small town on the map. 'I am a huge Katy Perry fan for as long as I can remember,' Palumbo said. When Perry began calling people on stage, Palumbo didn't think he would be one of them. That was, until she started walking towards audience members who were further back in the section he was in. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. 'I knew that that was my moment to shine,' he recalls. He said all he could think of doing to get her attention was raise his arms and scream will full force. 'I was just screaming, 'Pick me, Pick me!' You need to notice me,' he recalls. The video was originally shared by @ on TikTok and has garnered over 750,000 views since being posted four days ago, leaving fans desperately questioning if Perry will visit Medicine Hat in future tours. Palumbo has also since changed his profile picture on Instagram to a selfie of him with Perry. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025.
