Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna’s friendship was one of the A-list best friend duos in the London social scene back in the day. They were two of the biggest figures in Hollywood and nearly inseparable from the late 1990s through the early 2000s until the friendship hit a “breaking point.” Their bond didn’t just fade away; it all broke apart during a tense, awkward island vacation.
A new biography has come to light titled “Gwyneth: The Biography” by Amy Odell. The book is based on over 220 interviews about the life, career, and relationships of actress and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow, including her friendship and fallout with Madonna. You might be wondering, what exactly caused the fallout between Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna? Let’s find out.
What Does the Biography Say About Gwyneth and Madonna’s Friendship?
According to the new sensational book, “Gwyneth: The Biography,” Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna’s friendship ended because of Madonna’s alleged behavior. PEOPLE acquired the book and revealed some highlights, like the awkward encounter with Madonna and her daughter Lourdes Leon, 28, and how the confrontation became the final straw for Gwyneth and her then-husband, Chris Martin.
“Their relationship reached a breaking point when Madonna showed up on an island where Gwyneth and Martin were vacationing. Madonna seemed to know that Gwyneth would be there, which Gwyneth seemed to find strange, a friend remembered, “wrote Odell.
The awkward surprise visit reportedly escalated during a group meal. Odell claimed that Madonna met up with Gwyneth and her family for dinner and berated her daughter in front of them, which prompted Martin to draw the line.
“Madonna then insisted Gwyneth and Martin join her for a big group dinner at a long table where Madonna went off on her daughter, Lourdes.” This left Gwyneth and Martin deeply unsettled; they were disgusted by the Madonna’s behavior. ‘I can’t be around this woman anymore,’ Martin told Gwyneth. ‘She’s awful.’ Gwyneth agreed that Madonna was toxic and ended the friendship.”
And that’s how the actress officially cut ties with Madonna. Odell also wrote that the incident occurred a few years after Gwyneth gave birth to her son, Moses, in 2006. The book is set to release on July 29 and is currently available for preorder.
Were Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna Close Friends Before Their Feud?
Absolutely! Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna’s friendship began when Gwyneth was a high school student in the late 1980s at the posh Spence School on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
At the time, smoking was a favorite way to pass the time for many of the students. Her father, TV producer Bruce Paltrow, wanted her to quit. So he asked a friend, director Leo Penn, if he could ask his son, Sean Penn, to ask his new wife (Madonna) to write Gwyneth a note. That’s how Madonna ended up writing a note that read, in short:
“Dear Gwyneth. Just to jot down my average day…I wake up, I don’t smoke…And I go home a happy, healthy me.
Love, Me, Madonna.
PS: Good girls live longer.”
The two women then developed a close bond that blossomed as Gwyneth grew older. With Madonna serving as a mentor and friend to Gwyneth, who was later starting to navigate her career and growing fame following her Academy Award-winning performance in the 1996 film “Shakespeare in Love.”
By the time Gwyneth was living in London with her first husband, Chris Martin, whom she married in 2003, Madonna was also living in the UK with her British husband, director Guy Ritchie. The Goop mogul and singer’s bond was built on their passion for yoga, Kabbalah, and macrobiotic diets. They were often seen together in workout clothes and even shared the same personal trainer, Tracy Anderson. This made Tracy Anderson famous globally.
The pair often gushed about each other in the press. Gwyneth, now 52, once referred to Madonna, now 66, as an older sister and a guiding force in her life. In 2006, she praised the pop icon, saying, “Everything I have gone through, she went through ten times worse and ten times longer. She gives me good advice about how to say no and take care of myself.”
By 2010, a source told Us Weekly that they were no longer speaking, though the reason was not stated, but the pair reportedly have not been photographed together since 2010.
Has Either Gwyneth Paltrow or Madonna Commented on Their Friendship Ending?
Neither of the women has talked publicly or directly addressed the feud since they were last photographed together. However, in April 2010, Gwyneth addressed Madonna in an interview with British Vogue, where she discussed her business partner, Tracy Anderson, who was their then-personal trainer.
“Yeah, it’s good that [Tracy] doesn’t train Madonna anymore. It was too much,” Paltrow stated. “She keeps people waiting—it takes up your whole day.” The ‘Iron Man’ actress also said at the time, “Oh yes, I can be mean. I can cave in to gossip. I can ice people out, and I definitely harbor revenge.”
Representatives for Gwyneth and Madonna have not commented on the book’s allegations. However, the story by Amy Odell in Gwyneth’s biography paints a clear picture of the breaking point in a powerful friendship.
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