Gwyneth Paltrow Once Shared She Hadn’t Made Any Real Money From Acting Since 2002
Gwyneth Paltrow has been one of Hollywood’s biggest names since starring in films like Shakespeare in Love and Seven.
But even with her star-power, the actor once claimed she hadn’t made any real money from the film industry in a while. Which led to her doing a few side-gigs.
Gwyneth Paltrow hadn’t made any real money from acting since the year 2002
Paltrow had already been an established star by 2002. She’d already had a roster of notable films under her belt and was an Oscar-winner thanks to her Shakespeare in Love role. But around the 2000s Paltrow found herself doing campaigns for advertisement on the side. When asked about her decision to do ads despite being a movie star, Paltrow revealed it had been a while since she made much off her film career.
“I basically stopped making money from acting in 2002. All the things I’ve done since then have been things I’ve really wanted to do, and I have not made money from them,” Paltrow said in a 2006 interview with The Guardian.
Paltrow confided that doing advertisements gave her enough money so that she could make the kinds of movies she wanted to make. These were films that wouldn’t have her feeling objectified or sexualized. Although her acting career paid her well, it wasn’t as much as some of her contemporaries. This also factored into her career choices.
“I spent [money] on shoes. No. Well, I had saved money, but I bought a house, and I never made Julia Roberts kind of money,” she said.
Gwyneth Paltrow was self-made
Paltrow wasn’t shy about the fact that she’d grown up rich in her formative years. Her father was popular film and TV producer Bruce Paltrow, who’d also directed a number of projects. According to IMDb, some of his notable works include the television shows White Shadow and St. Elsewhere.
But Paltrow was adamant that she didn’t achieve success because of her father’s connection to the film industry. The late Bruce Paltrow made sure not to lend his daughter any financial assistance when she embarked on her film career.
“People think, ‘She’s just a rich kid,'” Paltrow once told Glamour. “Until I was 18, I was. Then I was broke. I’ve never taken a dime off my parents. I’m completely self-made.”
When Paltrow told her father about her acting ambitions, she didn’t believe her father wasn’t going to help her. But she soon discovered that he stuck to his word.
“I went to UC Santa Barbara, and when I quit to try to be an actress, my dad was like, ‘That’s great, but I’m not gonna help you,'” she said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, right.’ And he was like, ‘No, I’m not.’ So I got an apartment with a roommate; I worked as a hostess at a restaurant; I would scrounge quarters to buy Starbucks—and walk there to save gas. I remember once asking my dad for money, like, ‘Please, I’m really stuck. Can you help?’ And he said, ‘You’re more than welcome to come over for dinner.’ That was it.”
What is Gwyneth Paltrow’s net worth now?
As of 2023, Paltrow’s net worth is $200 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. Although some of her net worth came from her acting career, another sizable portion came from her company Goop.
In 2019, it was estimated that Paltrow’s lifestyle brand was worth around $250 million. Forbes also reported that Paltrow earned high pay-days from films like the Iron Man movies and from endorsement deals.
