Why Gwyneth Paltrow Turned Down ‘Shakespeare in Love’ — and Then Changed Her Mind
In 1999, Gwyneth Paltrow won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Viola de Lesseps in the critically acclaimed film Shakespeare in Love. Ironically, the Goop entrepreneur claims she turned down the role. Obviously, she later reconsidered, eventually earning her first and only Oscar. So, what convinced her to star in the unique period rom-com?
Why Gwyneth Paltrow originally turned down ‘Shakespeare in Love’
In an interview with Variety, Gwyneth Paltrow revealed that when she was first offered the starring role in Shakespeare in Love, she “was in the middle of a terrible breakup” with Brad Pitt. The couple dated from 1994 to 1997 and were engaged to be married. The actor told Variety the idea of going to England to film didn’t feel right. She didn’t want to be so far away from home. Paltrow remembers refusing to look at the script and thinking, “I can’t read anything right now. I’m having a really hard time.”
A few months later, she was approached again by Miramax studio executives. She finally agreed to read the script. “I just couldn’t put it down,” she admitted. Paltrow called the script “perfect.” Her agent tried to dissuade her because it felt like “more of a guy’s part.” But the actor-turned-businesswoman was all in saying, “Well, I want to do it.”
Julia Roberts was considered for the role
The script for Shakespeare in Love bounced around for a while before being picked up by Universal Pictures. Julia Roberts was attached to the project, and Daniel Day-Lewis was in consideration for the part of Shakespeare. “Daniel wasn’t interested, so Julia withdrew,” star Simon Callow wrote in the Daily Mail. “The whole thing fell through just six weeks before filming was due to begin.”
Six years later, Miramax purchased the rights to the film, and Joseph Fiennes signed on to play Shakespeare. After Roberts detached herself from the film, Paltrow was offered the lead but declined.
The film’s new director, John Madden, then tried to convince Titanic star Kate Winslet to play the role of Viola. But she also declined. He told Variety, “I had a lunch with her, where she was ecstatic about it. And then a week later, she called up and said, ‘I don’t think I can.'”
Paltrow finally signed on to the project and, with Fiennes by her side, earned the film seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay.
Has Gwyneth Paltrow quit acting?
Despite working on many successful films, including the Iron Man franchise, Paltrow has “quit” acting multiple times now.
Reaching the pinnacle of her career at an early age caused the actor to reflect on what she wanted to do next. In an interview on Sirius XM’s Quarantined with Bruce, she revealed, “Part of the shine of acting wore off.” She claimed the “public scrutiny” combined with a “really rough boss” (Harvey Weinstein) for most of her movie career became too much to handle.
Paltrow sought other interests. In 2008, she founded Goop, a wellness company. She is also a New York Times bestselling author of The Clean Plate, a healthy eating cookbook that includes customizable meal plans.
When recently asked if she missed acting Paltrow revealed, “I don’t daydream about the movie business at all.” She explained, “I really don’t miss it at all. I think I’m so lucky that I got to do it, and I’m sure I still will at some point. The team is always trying to get me to do a movie, but I really love what I do.”
