Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow has candidly described the profoundly awkward experience of sitting in a cinema next to her teenage son while watching her own explicit sex scenes with co-star Timothée Chalamet.
The Cringe-Worthy Cinema Experience
During an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers on Monday, the 53-year-old star bluntly stated that the experience was "not great." Her 19-year-old son, Moses Martin, was with her for a viewing of their new film, Marty Supreme, which features several intimate moments between Paltrow and Chalamet, who is 29.
Host Seth Meyers joked about his own memories of awkward cinema trips with his mother, to which Paltrow responded by mimicking her son's reaction. "He was like this the whole [time]," she admitted, crouching down and covering her face with her hands. "He's not into that."
A Family History of On-Screen Awkwardness
Paltrow, who shares Moses and 21-year-old daughter Apple with ex-husband Chris Martin, revealed she did attempt to warn her son about the film's content beforehand. Her relative lack of concern stemmed from a previous family member's nonchalant reaction to her on-screen nudity.
She recounted a story about taking her grandfather to the premiere of Shakespeare In Love, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. "I was so scared... I was trying to prep him for the whole thing," she said, referring to a topless scene. Her grandfather's unforgettable response, delivered in a thick New York accent, was: "Ah, I seen it before. Two eggs, sunny side up."
Paltrow admitted she tried to find a similarly blasé phrase for her son but came up short. Meyers suggested she should have simply told Moses that same anecdote.
Critical Acclaim for 'Marty Supreme'
The awkward personal moment hasn't dampened the professional success of the film. Marty Supreme has earned stellar reviews and boasts an impressive 91 percent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes from top critics.
Set in the 1950s, the film stars Timothée Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a New York City shoe salesman who becomes a competitive ping pong player. His journey takes him to Japan for a major tournament. Along the way, he begins a romantic relationship with Paltrow's character, a married former actress whose star has faded. The film has been favourably compared to tense 1970s thrillers like Dog Day Afternoon, with many praising Chalamet's performance as his best to date.
Paltrow's promotional appearance was part of a busy New York City evening that included a taping at Rockefeller Plaza followed by an event at the Empire State Building with co-stars including Chalamet and rapper Tyler, the Creator. The film is set for its US theatrical debut on Christmas Day.
