Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed the classic Hollywood icon who served as the principal inspiration for her latest on-screen character. Paltrow discussed the origins of her role in the upcoming film Marty Supreme during a group interview for The Los Angeles Times' The Envelope Women In Film Issue.
The Grace Kelly Connection
When asked who she based her character, 1950s faded movie star Kay Stone, upon, Paltrow was direct. 'She’s an amalgam of a few ideas, but principally Grace Kelly,' the actress stated. She elaborated on the parallels, noting that Kelly, like her character, had a stellar film career before walking away from it for marriage.
'When I was looking at photographs [of Kelly during] her films, and then photographs after she got married, it was like the light dimmed. She lost something,' Paltrow observed about the actress, who wed Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 and retired from acting.
Paltrow described Kay Stone's fictional journey, which mirrors this trajectory with added tragedy. 'My character had a very rough road to get to stardom, so she walks away from this big career to marry an unsuitable but very wealthy man. And then her son dies, so she has a lot of tragedy.'
A Shared Legacy and Unmade Project
The comparison between Paltrow and Kelly is not new. The Shakespeare in Love star has frequently been compared to the late princess due to their similar looks and accent. This resemblance was notably captured when Paltrow played Marge in The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Interestingly, Paltrow was once slated to star in a biopic about Grace Kelly, a project that faced development challenges and never fully materialised. Her latest role in Marty Supreme, which also stars Timothée Chalamet, allows her to explore a narrative inspired by Kelly's life choices.
On Navigating Fame and Reviews
The interview, which also featured Jennifer Lopez, Elle Fanning, Emily Blunt, and Tessa Thompson, turned to the topic of dealing with press and public perception. Paltrow, founder of the lifestyle brand GOOP, shared her strict policy: 'I try to never read anything about myself, full stop, ever. Period.'
This prompted a reaction from Lopez, who was once married to Paltrow's ex, Ben Affleck. Lopez questioned how feasible it is to completely avoid coverage, noting that people often bring articles to your attention. Paltrow conceded, 'Sometimes I’ll come upon it,' to which Lopez replied, 'And you want to die.' Paltrow agreed, describing the horror of being forwarded a 'really horrible' link. Her solution has been drastic: 'I deleted Instagram.'
The revelation offers a fascinating glimpse into the creative process behind one of the year's anticipated films and underscores the enduring influence of Grace Kelly, the American actress who became Princess of Monaco and died in a car accident in 1982 at age 52.
