Gwyneth Paltrow Says One â90s Film Moment Crossed a Line for Her
- - Gwyneth Paltrow Says One â90s Film Moment Crossed a Line for Her
Jane LaCroixDecember 28, 2025 at 12:20 AM
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Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images
Gwyneth Paltrow is looking back on one of the more awkward âwhat ifâ moments from early in her careerâand why she chose to trust her instincts.
In a recent Vanity Fairvideo published December 17, Paltrow reunited with her Great Expectations costar Ethan Hawke to reflect on their 1998 film nearly three decades later. During the conversation, Hawke reminded her of a scene pitched by director Alfonso CuarĂłn that never made it to the screen.
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âDo you remember Alfonso pitching you the love scene?â Hawke, 55, asked, prompting Paltrow, 53, to groan before explaining that the proposed moment involved her character receiving oral sex. âI was like, âOh, my God, my fatherâs going to have a heart attack,â â she recalled.
READ MORE: Gwyneth Paltrowâs True Feelings About Brad Pitt Marrying Jennifer Aniston Revealed
Hawke then described the directorâs vivid vision for the scene. âThe camera is going to go down your belly, and then it's going to go up your breasts, and then it's going to go in your face as you reach ecstasy. And then when you reach ecstasy, the light will explode like to the sun!â he said.
Paltrow didnât hesitate. ââAlfonso, I'm never going to do that,â â Hawke remembered her saying, as she laughed along. At the time, Paltrow said she felt âreally self-conscious about [her] dad and grandfather seeing this kind of stuff.â âIt really bothered me,â she added, though she noted, âNow, I wouldnât care.â
Hawke praised how she handled the situation, telling her she understood âthe ways in which those kinds of images could be manipulated and what it meant to your dad.â Paltrow later admitted, âMaybe I was too prudish in the moment,â to which Hawke replied, âI donât think you were.â âI was definitely worried about it,â she said.
These days, Paltrow seems just as comfortable owning her preferences off-screen. On the Goop podcast, she recently joked that while she âlove[s] Christmas,â her husband Brad Falchuk is âa little bit of a Grinch.â âBrad is the worst. He hates Christmas music. He hates Christmas decorations. He hates roast turkey,â she said. âHe looks forward to it being over. I feel very alone in my house in my love for Christmas; although, all the kids love it, so theyâre on my side.â
This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: âAOL Entertainmentâ