Long before they became friends, Madonna tried to influence a teenage Gwyneth Paltrow unexpectedly. In the late ’80s, while Gwyneth was a student at the elite Spence School in Manhattan, smoking was a common trend among students. According to people, her father, TV producer Bruce Paltrow, wanted her to quit—so he turned to an unlikely source. He asked director Leo Penn if his son, Sean, could have his wife, Madonna, write a note to Gwyneth.
The pop icon penned a handwritten message that read: “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.”
That unexpected moment eventually led to a real friendship.
From Workout Buddies to Falling Out
As Gwyneth entered adulthood, her bond with Madonna grew. During her years in London with then-husband Chris Martin, she was often spotted leaving Tracey Anderson workouts with the singer. But according to the new book “Gwyneth: The Biography” by Amy Odell, the friendship didn’t last.
In an excerpt published by People, Odell writes that the friendship “reached a breaking point” when Madonna arrived at the same island where Paltrow and Martin were vacationing.
(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)“Madonna seemed to know that Gwyneth would be there, which Gwyneth seemed to find strange,” Odell explains.
The situation escalated at a group dinner. “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,” the book continues.
Odell writes that the outburst shocked both Gwyneth & Chris. “‘I can’t be around this woman any more,’ Martin told Gwyneth. ‘She’s awful.’ Gwyneth agreed that Madonna was toxic and ended the friendship.”
Gwyneth Once Credited Madonna for Emotional Support
Despite their falling out, Gwyneth publicly expressed appreciation for Madonna in the past. In a 2008 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Paltrow said the singer helped her through postpartum depression.
“You can measure somebody by their children ultimately, and these children are phenomenal,” Paltrow said. “They’re very polite. They’re sweet, kind, conscientious.”
The Biography Drops July 29
Amy Odell’s “Gwyneth: The Biography” hits shelves on July 29 and is available for preorder now. The book includes over 220 interviews. It offers a revealing look into the Oscar winner’s life. It covers her rise to fame and her deeply personal relationships, including her now-ended friendship with Madonna.
