The youths don’t even understand the extent of Gwyneth Paltrow’s It Girl status in the 1990s. Over the course of about six years, she was basically on an unbroken win streak socially and professionally. Dating Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck back-to-back, plus whatever she had with Viggo Mortensen. All of those films she made in a row – Seven, Emma, Sliding Doors, Great Expectations, Shakespeare in Love and The Talented Mr. Ripley. She acted every bit the arrogant snob and people loved her for it. Well, most people. One of Gwyneth’s costars at the time now says that Gwyneth was quite rude to her during the production of Emma. Ruth Jones, best known from Gavin & Stacey and a million other British productions, told Rob Brydon what it was like having a few scenes with Gwyneth back in the 1990s:
Gavin & Stacey actress Ruth Jones recently recalled the “heartbreaking” interaction she had with Paltrow on the set of Emma, revealing that Paltrow treated her like “nothing.” Speaking on the latest episode of the Brydon & podcast, Jones told host Rob Brydon that she remembers her job on the 1996 film for “several reasons.”
“It was the first film I’d done,” she began. “I had two lines. It was something like I had to open the door. I had to announce Gwyneth Paltrow and say, ‘Miss Woodhouse is here,’ and then I had to say, ‘Goodbye, Miss Woodhouse’ at the exit and let her out.”
That’s when, according to Jones, things got testy between her and the more experienced actress.
“And Gwyneth Paltrow cut one of my lines. She said, ‘Does she really need to say that?’” Jones continued. “For people who are starting out, if you’ve got two lines, and somebody cuts 50 percent of your script, it’s heartbreaking.”
Jones, who’s gone on to star in popular comedy series like Stella and Gavin & Stacey, said that in addition to wanting to cut one of her only lines, Paltrow “didn’t want to talk to me.” She and Paltrow found themselves sharing a moment alone, so Jones tried to make conversation, she explained. “When I had to do the scene letting her out of the house,” she said, “it was just me and Gwyneth behind the door, and so we were just [silent].”
“I tried to make conversation with her,” Jones said, recalling that she asked Paltrow, “‘So do you have any Welsh connections?’ Because obviously [with the name] Gwyneth, I always think of it as a Welsh name, [so I asked] ‘How come you’re called Gwyneth?’”
The star gave Jones a conversation-halting answer. “She said, ‘Oh, my mother had a friend called Gwyneth and she really liked the name, so she called me Gwyneth.’ And she was quite dismissive of me.”
Jones added, “I was nothing [on the production]. I had one line. Well, [I] did have two lines, and now down to one.” Paltrow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment.
Eh, not to defend Gwyneth or anything, but those kinds of lines are cut all the time and it’s nothing personal. Who knows if Gwyneth was even really fighting to have the line cut or if she just mentioned “that’s unnecessary” and the director agreed. Now, from the way Ruth tells the story about the name-conversation, Gwyneth comes across like a snooty movie star, but… you also have to remember how many people wanted a piece of Gwyneth at the time. She probably had her defenses up a lot of the time. As I said, she was the biggest It Girl. She could have been nicer, I’m sure, but I also wonder if this whole thing was awkwardness rather than outright rude? I can’t believe I’m giving Gwyneth the benefit of the doubt here either, but this story doesn’t even come across as “Gwyneth was a terrible B to a peasant!”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Nick Elgar / Avalon.
GWYNETH PALTROW AT THE BOATHOUSE, CENTRAL PARK,NYC. FOR THE PREMIERE FOR “EMMA”.,Image: 547345246, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Nick Elgar / Avalon 
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 23: Gwyneth Paltrow attends Daily Front Row’s 7th annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards on April 23, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.,Image: 771537445, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Gwyneth Paltrow, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon 
BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – APRIL 23: American actress and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow wearing G. Label by goop arrives at The Daily Front Row’s 7th Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards held at the Crystal Garden at The Beverly Hills Hotel on April 23, 2023 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 771569335, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Gwyneth Paltrow, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – APRIL 23: American actress and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow wearing G. Label by goop arrives at The Daily Front Row’s 7th Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards held at the Crystal Garden at The Beverly Hills Hotel on April 23, 2023 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 771569457, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Gwyneth Paltrow, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon 
London, UK, 04 December 2023. Gwyneth Paltrow attends The Fashion Awards 2023 presented by Pandora in association with the British Fashion Council (BFC) at the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK.,Image: 826791652, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Editorial Use Only, Model Release: no, Credit line: Lee Floyd / Avalon 
Ruth Jones at the Olivier Awards 2024 at the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington, London, United Kingdom on 14 April 2024.,Image: 864848625, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Cat Morley / Avalon
Ruth Jones attends the Olivier Awards 2024 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. UK. Sunday 14th April 2024 -,Image: 864941854, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Olivier Awards 2024, Credit line: James Warren / Bang Showbiz / Avalon 
Ruth Jones attends Olivier Awards 2024 with Mastercard at Royal Albert Hall in London.,Image: 864956661, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Ana M. Wiggins / AvalonncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcW9maYJ4e9Guq6GXmqS7pr%2B%2BnKOaoZ2orKjD2KecraCPpa6twNGorpivkaiss7HApaOyl6Kqsaar06iWoZ2ilLyvq9OhnJirlamssLK%2BnqSmmV8%3D