How Old Is Gwyneth Paltrow and How Did She Become Famous?

She’s one of the most acclaimed actresses in the world, with a string of blockbusters as well as beloved romantic comedies to her credit. In spite of some backlash regarding her lifestyle brand Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow has managed to achieve great success in both Hollywood and the business world.

At a relatively young age, Paltrow became very famous, and long before her 40th birthday, she won the biggest award in show business. Many fans wonder, how old is Gwyneth Paltrow?

Gwyneth Paltrow’s age and early career

Born on September 27th, 1972, Paltrow is currently 46 years old. She was born to a show business family – her mother, Blythe Danner is an accomplished actress, and her father, Bruce Paltrow, was a well-known director and producer. Paltrow certainly led a charmed early life – her godfather is the iconic director Steven Spielberg, and she attended the very best schools in California while she was growing up.

She began acting in the late ’80s, and made her film debut in 1991, opposite John Travolta in the film Shout. Her career quickly took off, and over the next ten years, she appeared in big-name movies like Emma, Great Expectations, Hush, and A Perfect Murder. One of her best-known films was also released in 1998 and marked a turning point for Paltrow.

Which movie earned Paltrow an Oscar?

When Shakespeare in Love was released in 1998, starring Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow, the critics really sat up and took notice. The film was a fictional account of when William Shakespeare wrote his famous play, ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ and all the trials and tribulations that happened as a result of his love affair with an aristocratic girl, played by Paltrow. 

Paltrow earned rave reviews for her role and cleaned up at awards season as well. She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress as well as the Academy Award for Best Actress. No doubt all the honor and recognition that Paltrow received as a result of the film’s success was enough to fuel the latter half of her acting career.

Paltrow’s lifestyle brand and criticism

Following the success of Shakespeare in Love, Paltrow continued acting in a wide variety of films, including 2001’s Shallow Hal, opposite Jack Black, and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow in 2004. For the past decade, Paltrow has more or less stepped away from acting full time in order to focus on Goop, the lifestyle brand that she founded in 2008.

Goop started as a weekly newsletter and eventually became a web-based business, focusing on natural health and wellness. While the site clearly has many fans, Goop has also earned a lot of detractors as well. Many doctors and wellness experts have taken issue with certain health claims that the site has made, and consumers have complained that with the steep price tag attached to many of Goop’s products, the site isn’t really relatable or accessible for regular people.

Certainly, some of the products are ridiculous – including the stickers that are advertised to heal your body in a variety of ways when stuck to the skin or a $72 candle that is supposed to heal and transform the body. 

In spite of the harsh headlines and online critics, Gwyneth Paltrow is having the last laugh. She stands by her claims that Goop is a powerful force for wellness, and is focusing more time on the brand than ever. With a net worth of around $60 million and a booming career at an age when many women start to slow down, it’s likely that fans will be able to enjoy seeing Paltrow around for a good long time to come. To her, being 46 years old is truly just a number.