For years, Gwyneth Paltrow has kept certain details of her relationship with Brad Pitt a secret. Although the actress has spoken publicly about her romance with the Hollywood heartthrob, she has recently confessed something that very few people knew. This revelation sheds light on a story that seemed like a fairy tale, but ended with a bitter conclusion that she herself sums up with a blunt phrase: "I ruined it".
The 1990s were underway and both were at the peak of their careers. He was already a superstar; she was on the rise, but beneath the glow of fame and red carpets, there was a complex emotional reality. What really happened between them? Why does Gwyneth take all the blame today?
Gwyneth Paltrow revives her love story with Brad Pitt
It all began in the fall of 1994, when Gwyneth Paltrow faced a professional dilemma in which she had to choose between co-starring with Keanu Reeves or with Brad Pitt. Her friend was blunt: "Who do you want to date?" Gwyneth chose Brad, and that was the start of a story that seemed straight out of a romantic movie.
During the filming of Seven, glances turned into complicity, and that into love. "If they hadn't fallen in love, it would've been a surprise. It was love at first sight," said Michael Kaplan, the film's costume designer.
Paltrow, who at first thought Brad was a Hollywood star stereotype, was surprised: "I thought he'd be another typical star guy. He wasn't, he was a good person. I knew it the first day on set."
Gwyneth came from a cultured family with influence in Hollywood; Brad was raised in a strict Baptist family in Missouri. "When we go to restaurants and order caviar, I have to explain to him: 'this is Beluga and this is Oscietra'," she said jokingly.
Tensions soon appeared. Brad was unpunctual, which irritated the perfectionist Gwyneth. Some of her friends thought they weren't compatible: "The only thing they shared was fame, and that didn't seem enough."
Even so, when she was chosen to star in Emma, he accompanied her to London during filming. His presence was imposing, to the point of managing to bypass the strict dress code at the Berkeley Hotel.
As time went by, doubts began to weigh on her. During a conversation in the middle of filming, Gwyneth admitted she wasn't sure if Brad was the right man. She even acknowledged feeling attracted to Hugh Grant.
In 1997, they traveled together to Moscow for a Marie Claire Russia event. Gwyneth was still committed to the relationship: she cooked for him, organized plans. Brad, meanwhile, had attitudes that puzzled her: "Do you really think you should wear that? Isn't it too see-through?" he would ask about her clothes.
The famous makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin was one of her confidants. Gwyneth would lie on his couch, crying over Brad. Some close friends claimed that he felt threatened by her success and that he could be emotionally hurtful.
Gwyneth Paltrow confesses how the breakup with Brad Pitt was
The relationship was already weakened when, at the end of 1996, Brad traveled to Argentina, where Gwyneth was filming Seven Years in Tibet. The reason was a marriage proposal. To everyone's surprise, she accepted.
Six months later, it was all over. Some claimed that Brad was emotionally exhausted. Others pointed out that Gwyneth had put the brakes on their wedding plans or that there was a possible infidelity during the filming of Sliding Doors.
As the years went by, Gwyneth has taken responsibility with a phrase that sums up her regret: "I ruined it, Brad". In 2017, she spoke about the subject again: "I was 22 when I met him, but I wasn't ready. He was too good for me."
That public confession marked a turning point in the public's view of their breakup. Despite the passage of time, some wounds remained open. When Brad married Jennifer Aniston in 2000, Gwyneth avoided answering the press: "Are you seriously asking me this?"
Privately, her words were less diplomatic. She used to say that she felt sad when she found out and would finish with a sharp phrase: "Brad has terrible taste in women." Even during a dinner with Aerin Lauder, Estée Lauder's heiress, she made a biting comment: "He's dumber than Abundio."
Despite having rebuilt her life with Chris Martin and later with Brad Falchuk, the story with Brad Pitt remains in her memory. Years later, she herself took the blame for their ending with a sincere confession. Although their lives took different paths, the memory of that love continues to make headlines and stir emotions.