OlderGwyneth Paltrow: Winona Ryder’s Frenemy?
In her latest GOOP newsletter, Gwyneth Paltrow talks about why the media spins stories negatively and mentions a “frenemy,” most likely referring to her former best friend, actress Winona Ryder. (Their friendship reportedly ended when Gwyn reportedly stole the part of Shakespeare in Love from Winona but Winona was never considered for the role.)
Gwyn writes, “Back in the day, I had a ‘frenemy’ who, as it turned out, was pretty hell-bent on taking me down. This person really did what they could to hurt me. I was deeply upset, I was angry, I was all of those things you feel when you find out that someone you thought you liked was venomous and dangerous. I restrained myself from fighting back. I tried to take the high road. But one day I heard that something unfortunate and humiliating had happened to this person. And my reaction was deep relief and…happiness. There went the high road. So, why does it feel so good to hear something bad about someone you don’t like? Or someone you DO like? Or someone you don’t KNOW? I once asked the editor of a tabloid newspaper why all of the stories about a famous British couple had a negative bent. He said that when the headline was positive, the paper didn’t sell. Why is that? What’s wrong with us? I asked the sages to shed a little light. Here’s to washing our mouths out with soap… Love, Gwyneth.” Check out the rest of the Q&A at GOOP.com.
The “unfortunate and humiliating” incident Gwyn mentioned is likely referring to Winona’s 2001 shoplifting incident, where she stole $5K worth of designer clothes and accessories at a Saks Fifth Avenue department store.
Pictured below: Gwyneth and Winona holding hands and locking arms (1998-1999).
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98 Comments
Is this really newsworthy?
Winona is beautiful.
I love the 90s looks… Less is more was so true … they are androgynously hot
Shut up, Gwenyth, just shut up! Jeez.
Noni really rocks the short hair. Gwynnie not so much. She looks pretty butch here:
http://cdn.buzznet.com/media/jj1/2009/04/paltrow-ryder/gwyneth-paltrow-winona-ryder-frenemy-03.jpg
I have no idea why their friendship ended but Winona was never up for “Shakespeare In Love” and that’s a fact. It was always Gwyneth’s part.
Winona is beautiful but, in most of her movies, she has always been upstaged by a co-star. (See “Girl Interrupted” where people only remember Angelina.) Winona has no “presence” on the screen or in real life. Perhaps that’s why she began to hate Gwyneth because Gwyneth is at least memorable on and off screen.
Poor Winona. She’s trying to get her career back on track and doesn’t need this kind of negative publicity.
Totally not newsworthy, and while I’m not a Gwenyth fan, it’s nice that she’s at least honest about it. She may say a lot of obnoxious, bitchy things sometimes, but she’s honest. The fake sweet bullshit that most celebs spout about each other while spreading **** behind the scenes is far more obnoxious in my opinion.
Ryder and Julia Roberts were both considered for the lead in Shakespeare in Love. It’s rumored Gwyneth saw the script in Ryder’s apartment and campaigned for the role. Personally, I can’t envision Ryder in the role, but it’s a shame Gwyneth has to pimp this stuff in her newsletter instead of letting bygones be bygones.
#6, no it wasn’t. Many actresses turned down the role of Viola INCLUDING Winona Ryder, along with Julia Roberts and Kate Winslet.
Anyway, I think it’s most likely Ryder. They were friends for a long time. They suddenly stopped being friends. Paltrow refers to this person doing something bad.
Agree, Gwyneth does say a lot of obnoxious, bitchy things. Hard to find it endearing though when she’s lecturing everyone to “nourish their inner aspect” and chiding them about their “evil tongues.” It’s rather hypocritical. She should try following her own advice.
Some women looks great with short hair, Paltrow is not one of them.
Oh, Gwenyth SHUT UP! If Winona was a dangerous and evil toward you it’s because she was responding in kind.
love noni…and miss the 90s. paltrow, not so much.
Gwyneth looks like Winona’s mum in those pics.
She’s ugly, dirty and nasty!!!
Shut it Gwyneth, Winona Ryder is a goddess!
Jared you should given Lainey credit as you basically took this from her website.
..and this “frenemy” tidbit just happens to come out around the time Winona starts promotions for Star Trek? Coincidence, I think not.
#6 Gwyneth ia memorable??? hahaha, are you serious? i don’t remember her except for that movie, where she was fat…and probably only because she looked nothing like herself, while Whynona is great, and though she is been out of spotlight for really long time, people, i bet, still love and remember her…
She almost has a good message, but as usual, she delivers it the wrong way. If she were really above this bullshit, she wouldn’t be doing blind items like a celebrity gossip site.
I have to give this woman credit. For someone who is not really a leading lady anymore and apparently not on the first-look list for scripts, she does a good job of keeping herself in the news through her goopy newsletter.
DID PALTROW GET A NOSE JOB?
didn’t Gywneth steal the script of Shakespeare in Love from Winona? I thought that was what ended their friendship.
SHE’S MUCH SOFTER AND CUTER NOW. SHE LOOKS LIKE A SHE-MALE IN THAT MAIN PHOTO.
This bítch needs a cúnt punt!!!!!
Winona has two new films coming out: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee and Star Trek.
Isn’t Gwyneth sorta adding to the gossiping by telling us the frenemy story?
I actually don’t mind Goop but this just feels like a passive-aggressive swipe at Winona. They had a very public break in their friendship. Most people will assume she’s referring to Winona and I’m sure Gwyn realizes that.
I think Winona has aged much better than Gwyneth. Sadly, her career will probably never rebound from the shoplifting scandal. She also hasn’t transitioned to adult roles too well. Maybe Star Trek will change that? We’ll see…
#24, if she stole it from her, it’s most likely that Winona would’ve never talked to her again. These pictures are from at the time of/after the release of Shakespeare in Love/
B i t c h!!
Winona is so much better than you idiot!
I find Gwynette comes across as a self-righteous b i t c h. She has great legs, that’s about it. Her face is jacked up.
god winona is gorgeous but a piece of work if what they said in that cosmo article from ‘03 is true…..but I’d much rather hang with her than
with the 300 pound male bagpipe player who was pretending to be her last year on the imdb message boards….he had many people fooled
Wow this woman is out of her mind, somebody needs to feed her a huge piece of humble pie. Winona is a far better actress than this idiot and funny that she forgets to mention that the real reason their friendship ended was because Gwyneth STOLE the Shakespear in Love script from Winona’s house and went behind her back and auditioned and from what has been said did a couple of “favors” for Harvey Weinstein which helped secure her role in the film.
This witch gets more obnoxious and ugly by the day, Winona has had a hard time but she’s a far better actress and human being than this twat.
two ex-gf from brad pitt
I can see why Brad Pitt never married this *****. And why he’s refusing to marry the pretentious, self-aggrandizing douche of a woman he’s currently with. Why do both of these women think they’re better than everyone else? Having now read several Goop newsletters, this woman has completely lost touch with reality.
Gwynnie needs to take skiing lessons in Canada- without a helmet of course!
Personally, I feel sad when something “unfortunate” happens to someone I dislike, if they have criticised me or not, not joyous relief.
her newsletter make me hate her where as i was ambivalent before. she ruins iron man for me.
Team Winona!
So should you just ignore people who harm or threaten others in their actions and not speak out about it?
I think we should speak out about people who hurt others.
@EDS: How could you say such a horrible thing? Not only did you offend Natasha Richardson, you also offended Gwyneth Paltrow. Hate her as much as you want, but she has a family and she’s a HUMAN BEING. You disrespectful cúnt.
@meine meinung: Ryder never dated Brad Pitt.
Gwyneth is memorable? The only thing memorable about her is that she won an Oscar and let it go to her head. I still remember that hideous pink dress she wore when she accepted the Oscar. She’s an elitist and self-serving.
Gwyneth currently must be at pretty low stage that she feels the need to blame on someone for something happened years ago.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Madonna. They were rumoured to have had a fight and when Paltrow says that this person was humiliated, myabe she’s referring to Madonna’s failed adoption?
No Harvey Weinstein hand picked her she was his muse back in ‘98
So no one else could take this part…So where did this come from eh?
She did all her English movies Emma and all the rest with Harvey …
why would a loser like Whinona take the role.. She did not let it
go to her head…
Stop second guessing .. O.K it could be Guy O Leary that she dated
way back before he was famous.. or some other person in her life.
SO LETS GET THIS STRAIGHT HARVEY WANTED NO ONE BUT GWYNETH FOR THE PART THAT IS HOW SHE MET BEN AFFLECK
HE AT HARVEY’S OFFICE AT THE SAME TIME..
No Harvey Weinstein hand picked her she was his muse back in ‘98
So no one else could take this part…So where did this come from eh?
She did all her English movies Emma and all the rest with Harvey …
why would a loser like Whinona take the role.. She did not let it
go to her head…
Stop second guessing .. O.K it could be Guy O Leary that she dated
way back before he was famous.. or some other person in her life.
SO LETS GET THIS STRAIGHT HARVEY WANTED NO ONE BUT GWYNETH FOR THE PART THAT IS HOW SHE MET BEN AFFLECK
HE AT HARVEY’S OFFICE AT THE SAME TIME..
Naima, I’m sorry to disagree with you but Gwyneth and Winona are BOTH pretty average actresses. Winona is definitely a prisoner of her own idiosyncracies; she never was able to melt into a role.
It’s too bad if she IS talking about Winona because they seem happy as clams in the pictures together from when they were friends. Ending a friendship for these kinds of reasons must have been a really hard situation for both of them. Toxic even. I don’t remember the last time I saw pictures of GP looking as genuinely happy as she did in these pictures. Sad.
congrats Jared. You made it - a mention in People is BIG TIME!!
Yes and how about that JLO MADE THE LIST…
WOW DIDN’T KNOW THAT JLO MET GWYNETH BACK IN 1998!!
HOW DID SHE MAKE THE LIST GEE COULD IT BE MAYBE BEN..!
NO THEY WERE NOT ENGAGED IN 1998 HE WAS DATING GWYNETH (BOYFRIEND GIRLFRIEND MAKING SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE TOGETHER..)
OR
HOW COULD IT BE BATALI WINONA (MATT DAMON BROKE UP WITH
THAT THIEF… ) THAT IS WHAT DID IT FOR HER SO GET YOUR FACTS
STRAIGHT O.K..AND JEN ANISTON..WHY HER..SHE CAME AFTER
THEY BROKE UP…OR COULD IT BE
That’s not funny, #38.
Gywneth is so smug, she should thank her lucky stars that her dirt has not been aired publicly like Winonas.
GOD this confirms why I hate Gwenyth Paltrow so much. She’s the most obnoxious celeb out there.
I think GP is an opportunist. Maybe she needs to get her timeline correct. Maybe it’s because GP stole the Shakespeare In Love role from her friend that they became frenemies. Hey, if I had a friend that stole from me I would be hell bent on her destruction too. I think it’s time to retire GOOP. Maybe GP needs to go a way for a long while and just focus on her fabulous life.
Dear Gwenyth,
The public does like postive stories about celebrities they like. You are not likeable so no one wants to hear good things about you. Now go away.
#29 - Sandy - You’re exactly right on your passive-aggressive conclusion.
Gwyneth just could not let it go, and she’s still play adolescent games. And, NO! I will not click on the GOOP link for more. Not giving GP any more attention than I’m going to giver her right here.
Finally, I bet Rider would’ve kicked Paltrow’s *ss in Shakespeare in Love.
Just read newsletter bulletin:
I think being betrayed by a friend is truly devastating and does make you feel very angry, depressed and disappointed.
Maybe there was a reason behind the critisism , in which case it was justified and maybe, in Gwyneth’s case, it was not and therefore venomous.
The point is I think the philosophy she uses to explain her point of view is too generalised and every case is different, for instance would it be venomous, evil tongued or bad Karma to attack Adolf Hitler?
@slambang:
LOL agreed
oh lord, why are we reading anything this fame wh ore is saying? who cares? go away already, she really have nothing to talk about, all of brads exes are crazy,
why she stole the script from her room it was hers weather she was considered for the part or not.Why she talk about it now if she took the high road she should shut her mouth.
Any body is better than this snob. I have this fishy b!tch. Someone needs to shut her up.She should be busy saving her fcuked up marriage right now instead of talking about years ago things which she actually did and won oscar not cause she deserve it but cause she fcuked one of the guys.someone.
Gwyneth,
You fell out with Winona YEARS ago!! You still whine about Brad!! Get over yourself!! You are now “happily” married with two kids…focus on that and stop writing about petty BS from the past! No one cares and most importantly, no one cares about YOU!! You write this BS because you know your career is in the tank….go back to England and shut your pie hole!
wow. so she’s telling us how bad we are for loving negative sh*t and yet here she is telling us all kinds of bad stuff about her old friend. wow. hypochrite much? i can’t stand this woman.
Winona is too good for GOOPY Gwyneth!
You know for someone who claims to hate all the attention on herself and kids why put yourself back out there in the trash talking media like that. She has to know this would appear in the very blogs and gossip rags she so despises.
What could Wino have done to her that was so bad she would actually be deeply relieved and happy that she was busted for shop lifting. Did she steal stuff from her and deny it? I mean why would you be “deeply relieved”? Cause no-one believed you all these years? ummmm come on Gwyneth, tell us the whole story or just shut the hell up.
…See no evil speak no evil.
Back in the day, when there was no democracy we were ruled by dictators and only the rich and powerful had the right to speak their mind and the ordinary people were repressed and punished for speaking out.
Now everyone has the right to speak freely.
In Gwyneth’s newsletter, all people who speak negatively about someone ( no reason given to wether it is justified or not) have evil “tongues”.
Winona was a terrific actress and very charismatic on the screen. I loved her in Mermaids with Cher. Gorgeous. I heard she battled heavy depression and that would account for all sorts of behavior other people find offensive. Take it from me. I have been battling it for years. It’s difficult to survive. Everything is big and overwhelming, things most people who have never had depression take for granted. Depressed people can be wonderful people, too. But, functioning “normally” is difficult. Maybe GP found out something difficult, like abuse, in Winona’s past that explained her behavior. Something so painful that it colored the rest of her life. We never know what battles others are fighting.
I always wondered what happened btwn these two. Was it really that nefarious? I did read Gwyn saw and stole the script to “Shakespeare in Love” when it was at Win’s house. So who knows the real story. Of course if anyone here does, please share!
I forgot. I am sure this was not the 2001 incident with Winona’s shoplifting. It was way before that when suddenly Gwyneth dropped her. Gywneth was with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon was with Winona. Matt and Winona met at the Oscars when Matt and Ben won for writing the screenplay for Goodwill Hunting. Matt was new to Hollywood and flipped over her. Whatever happened was unclear but Matt stopped seeing her and Gwyneth stayed with Ben a while longer. She dropped him before she won the Oscar because she called him her “friend” when she gave her speech. He looked embarrassed because it was obvious she was publicly letting everyone know he was no longer her romantic partner. I remember they stayed “friends” and were photographed together with her on a cell phone walking on the beach the day Brad Pitt married Jennifer Anniston. GP looked distraught.
Gwyn is nothing but a copycat..she reminds me of a single white female type who becomes her friends..case in point, Madonna, and looking at these pic’s, she became Winona too…I’m sure she was dumped by Ms Ryder.
As soon as I learned that murderer Phil Spector was found guilty by the new jury, Bowie’s song “Let’s Dance” played in my head. And it hasn’t stopped since.
What a nice gift for Spring. I feel a sense of freedom from it. Like balance has been restored.
Spector’s freedom made America oppressive.
I think it’s hilarious everyone assumes it’s Wino. LOL!
Maybe Miss Paltrow you’re just one mean spirited be-yatch that likes to see even your close friends fail? Don’t we all secretly hate our perfect pretty successful best friends?
I saw Winona Ryder at Barneys a few years ago. She was trying on a hat right next to me and I was just star-struck. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’ve seen other celebs (Reese Witherspoon, Lindsay Lohan, etc.) but Winona Ryder tops all of them- she really is beautiful and her voice is, out of this world. I hope she’s doing well these days- she was one of the best actresses in the 80-90s and she still is my favorite actress.
how can jared be sure that she is talking about winona? could be any other friend
I don’t understand all the hatred toward Gwyneth, could it be a bit of jealousy or just being unable to relate to her status. But expressing all these hatred is just ugly.
I think most celebrities welcome the attention they get from their work or when they’re promoting them. Although some just like attention (like reality show people). I think Gwyneth and other celeb moms just hate it when people intrude into the life of their kids and marriages. I don’t know of one “likable” celeb mom (even Reese Witherspoon or Jen Garner), who “welcome” paparazzi taking photos of their kids shopping or going to school. No one wants that kind of attention.
In my opinion, Gwyneth’s a really good actress. And if Sir Anthony Hopkins say that 2 of the greatest actresses he’s ever worked with are Jodie Foster & Gwyneth Paltrow, then I believe him. :)
There are more attractive, talented and probably nicer female celebrities than G.P., so I don’t buy the jealousy argument. Gwyneth often comes across as bitter while trying to preach the opposite, so I can understand why people may not relate to her. She sends mixed messages.
It may not be Ryder, but the description certainly sounds like her. I can’t imagine Gwyneth didn’t realize the parallels would cause people to think it was Winona.
GWENNIE NOT TALKING:
No Harvey Weinstein hand picked her she was his muse back in ‘98
So no one else could take this part…So where did this come from eh?
She did all her English movies Emma and all the rest with Harvey …
why would a loser like Whinona take the role.. She did not let it
go to her head…
Stop second guessing .. O.K it could be Guy O Leary that she dated
way back before he was famous.. or some other person in her life.
SO LETS GET THIS STRAIGHT HARVEY WANTED NO ONE BUT GWYNETH FOR THE PART THAT IS HOW SHE MET BEN AFFLECK
HE AT HARVEY’S OFFICE AT THE SAME TIME..
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To GNT:
HW is a shrewd businessman and as equally opportunistic as GP. No one is his “muse”. He would have had his people put together a list of actresses to be considered for the role. He would have gone down the list till someone said yes. Where WR and GP were on the list we’ll never know. However, at the time WR was definitely the more established actress. So, it’s safe to assume that he wanted to cast the biggest stars he could afford in the film.
FYI, he’s loves the tall drink of water, WASPY type women. There have been rumors for years about how young actress “pay their dues” with HW.
My point is that HW and GP probably scratched each other’s backs.
GWENNIE NOT TALKING:
No Harvey Weinstein hand picked her she was his muse back in ‘98
So no one else could take this part…So where did this come from eh?
She did all her English movies Emma and all the rest with Harvey …
why would a loser like Whinona take the role.. She did not let it
go to her head…
Stop second guessing .. O.K it could be Guy O Leary that she dated
way back before he was famous.. or some other person in her life.
SO LETS GET THIS STRAIGHT HARVEY WANTED NO ONE BUT GWYNETH FOR THE PART THAT IS HOW SHE MET BEN AFFLECK
HE AT HARVEY’S OFFICE AT THE SAME TIME..
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To GNT:
HW is a shrewd businessman and as equally opportunistic as GP. No one is his “muse”. He would have had his people put together a list of actresses to be considered for the role. He would have gone down the list till someone said yes. Where WR and GP were on the list we’ll never know. However, at the time WR was definitely the more established actress. So, it’s safe to assume that he wanted to cast the biggest stars he could afford in the film.
FYI, he’s loves the tall drink of water, WASPY type women. There have been rumors for years about how young actress “pay their dues” with HW.
My point is that HW and GP probably scratched each other’s backs.
God, I’m sorry Gwyneth is so pathetic. She must have known by posting such specifics, especially about the embarassing and humiliating thing happening to her frenemy, that people were going to assume this was Winona Ryder. She could have been vague and discussed in general about why we feel happy when something bad happens to others. She is one shrewd woman. She would have known that all of the gossips would be talking about this. Winona is a goddess and highly doubt that she was the cause of the end of the relationship. Gwyneth is hardly a peach herself.
Another reason not to read GOOP. Ms. Paltrow is having a whole subscription of issues.
Know one really knows what or who she is really talking about. There are NO specifics in what she wrote, you are all commenting on speculation made by Jared. You realize that don’t you? I love all the venomous comments made in response to a completely unsubstantiated rumor. God, such hate on this site.
Winona is a goddess? Are you kidding?? You don’t know her any more personally than you do Gwyneth Paltrow so you have just as much reason to love her as you do to hate GP. Which is NONE. Think about that.
Winona is a goddess? Are you kidding?? You don’t know her any more personally than you do Gwyneth Paltrow so you have just as much reason to love her as you do to hate GP. Which is NONE. Think about that.
We’re not on a fan site. We can comment, positive or negative.
It doesn’t really matter if Gwyneth’s referencing Winona or not; the description does damage either way. The way she’s worded it makes it seem as though it’s Winona. What an irresponsible, thoughtless woman.
What people don’t know is that Winona had the “Shakespeare in Love” Script on her coffee table & was going to audition for the part. Gweneth Paltrow, her friend comes to her house & reads part of the script & auditions for it without telling Winona. Before this, noone knew who Gweneth was …it’s a no wonder, with friends like Gweneth, who needs enemies??
I’m just saying, blindly following a rumor (this is a RUMOR - the whole “script on a coffee table thing”? is also a RUMOR) is silly. For all anyone knows, she isn’t even talking about Winona Ryder.
Can’t stand Winona. she was horrible to Angelina Joile on Girl Interrupted set too. I remember an interview were she bragged that as a child the police caught her shop-lifting. They brought her home to her parents and her parents yelled at the officers. Winona was so proud that her parents thought she was entitled to steal and angry at the police for attempting to correct her bad behavior. I was not surprised when she was arrested for shop-lifting years later.
Her voice is whiny, she is jealous of other actresses, she feels a huge sense of entitlement. The only thing good people say about her is that she is “pretty”. Sorry, I don’t see it.
Winona is the kind of woman who’d make an atheist believe in a benevolent God. She’s just… PERFECT.
Winona Ryder seems to keep to herself and has been rumored to have been treated for depression/bipolar disorder. The woman stays out of the spotlight and rarely does interviews anymore. There was no need for a former friend - or “frenemy” - to cause unnecessary speculation and drag her name through the mud.
I wonder why Gweyneth told this story now.
Does she still want beat Winona up ?
how classy!
is this how one take the high road? never liked G.P. i am for winona
Gwyneth’s GOOP is POOP and so is her face.
Why she has to be so specific about her frenemy. She could only say that negative thoughts and bad mouth in general is a bad thing to do.
Winona has some psychological issues!
NO SON AFORTUNADOS LOS ARGUMENTOS QUE ANOTA LA PALTROW EN SU “BLOG”, DEMUESTRAN SERIOS PROBLEMAS MENTALES, PUES DEBIO DECIRLOS EN EL MOMENTO QUE OCURRIERON, PEOR AUN SI SE REFIEREN DE LA PELICULA CON LA CUAL LE “ROBO” EL OSCAR A CATE BLANCHET. ROBO ABIERTO CON PREMEDITACIÒN,ALEVOSÌA Y VENTAJA. ASÌ QUE “PALTROWITA”, MEJOR NO HABLES DE ROBOS Y PONTE LOS BIGOTES DE VIOLA
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