From a guest appearance on a television series to their Hamptons nuptials, Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Brad Falchuk have long been the face of the ultimate Hollywood couple – complete with blended families and separate living spaces.
The 50-year-old actor first met the 52-year-old television writer while appearing on the hit FOX musical comedy, Glee, in 2010. Paltrow, who was married to ex-husband Chris Martin at the time, guest starred as substitute teacher Holly Holliday on the show. Falchuk, who was also married to producer Suzanne Bukinik, co-created the series alongside Ryan Murphy.
In March 2014, the Goop CEO announced that she and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin were divorcing after 10 years of marriage. In a statement on the Goop website, Paltrow revealed they had decided to “consciously uncouple” and would continue to co-parent their two children, Apple and Moses.
Meanwhile, Falchuk and Bukinik divorced in 2013 after 19 years of marriage. The former couple share daughter Isabella and son Brody.
Months after the actress and the musician called it quits, Paltrow and Falchuk were first spotted together in the summer of 2014. A source told Us Weekly at the time that “things started off professionally” between the pair, but eventually became romantic.
The two made their relationship Instagram official in September 2015, when Paltrow accompanied Falchuk to the Los Angeles premiere of his TV show, Scream Queens. “My date and I #screamqueens,” he captioned a black-and-white selfie of the pair smiling.
Over the next two years, the happy couple shared glimpses into their relationship on social media – including romantic getaways and birthday tributes. In July 2016, Falchuk shared a photo of himself and Paltrow drinking "martinis made with iceberg ice" while vacationing in Fogo Island, Canada.
The Oscar winner celebrated Falchuk’s birthday in March 2017 by posting a selfie of the pair with the caption, “Happy birthday, handsome”. That same year, Falchuk shared multiple candid shots of Paltrow, including one photo with her morning coffee and shots of the star “getting ready” behind-the-scenes.
In September 2017, the American Horror Story co-creator shared a heartfelt tribute to Paltrow on her 45th birthday with “the most Gwyneth pic”.
“This is the most beautiful woman of all time and today is her birthday,” he captioned the post, which featured the Iron Man star eating a slice of pizza in her backyard. “We are all so lucky that she came into the world (but no one is luckier than me). Happy Birthday, Love.”
He added: “PS – this is pretty much the most #Gwyneth pic I could find – it has pizza, red wine, her phone and that f***ing perfect smile.”
Just two months later, multiple reports surfaced that the couple were engaged after three years of dating. However, Paltrow and Falchuk didn’t confirm their engagement until January 2018 when they posed on the cover of Goop magazine’s Sex & Love issue.
They said in a joint statement: “We feel incredibly lucky to have come together at this juncture in our lives when our collective successes and failures can serve as building blocks for a healthy and happy relationship.”
Paltrow revealed during an interview with Good Morning America that her children, Apple and Moses, were also “excited” to welcome Falchuk to the family. “It’s a very happy time, I have to say,” she said in May 2018. “I’m super lucky in that I have these incredible relationships in my life. To feel that love and support from our community is really, really special. It just makes me cry every time.”
The couple finally tied the knot on 29 September 2018 during a star-studded ceremony in East Hampton, New York. Guests included Jerry Seinfeld, Robert Downey Jr, Stella McCartney, Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden.
Paltrow later shared details about their Hamptons nuptials on her Goop website. The Sliding Doors star wore a white Valentino dress designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli for the occasion, which featured lace details, sheer cap sleeves and an open back. She completed the look with a sheer vail.
One month after their wedding, Paltrow opened up about getting married for the second time in an interview with Marie Claire UK. “For a while, I thought, I don’t know if I’d ever do it again. I have my kids – what’s the point? And then I met this incredible man, who made me think, no, this person is worth making this commitment to. I’m very much the marrying kind.”
However, the couple didn’t move in together until a year after their wedding. "Married life has been really good. We took a year to let everybody [in the family] take it in and let the dust settle. And now we’re moving in together this month,” she told InStyle in August that year.
But by January 2020, it appeared Paltrow and Falchuk preferred their separate living spaces after the Royal Tenenbaums star revealed they spend just four nights a week together at her home. For the remaining three nights, Falchuk sleeps at his own house with his children, Brody and Isabella.
“Oh, all my married friends say that the way we live sounds ideal and we shouldn’t change a thing,” she told The Sunday Times Style.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, which sent the world into lockdown, the actor and the screenwriter opened up about how their relationship has changed amid the coronavirus pandemic. “We’re lucky that we have a really solid relationship, but we’re also in the house with the kids and it’s pretty close quarters,” Paltrow told intimacy and sexuality expert Michaela Boehm in a video posted to Goop’s YouTube channel.
In fact, the lifestyle guru previously said that step-parenting Falchuk’s two children has been an “interesting challenge” for her. “I have two beautiful stepchildren, who are the same age as mine,” Paltrow told actor Gabrielle Union on The goop Podcast. “It’s funny because when I became a stepmother, when I knew I was going to become a stepmother, I was like, “S***, I have no idea how to do this. There’s nothing to read. What do I do? Where do I step in? Where do I not? Like, how do I do this?’”
“It’s been a really interesting challenge for me and I love them,” she continued, adding: “I’ve learned so much about myself through the process.”
To mark Paltrow’s 49th birthday, Falchuk shared his favourite things that he loves about Paltrow in a sweet Instagram tribute. “When you live with this woman, a few things become clear,” he began the birthday message, which featured a photo of Paltrow sitting outside and staring off into the distance. “There are the obvious things – that she’s beautiful, that she’s funny, that she likes things the way she likes them, when she likes them. That she is always busy – but also always has time for you.”
Falchuk went on to say that the two things that “really stand out” most about Paltrow’s character is that she “notices and acts.” The Pose writer explained how Paltrow would “notice you need a hug and give you an outstanding one,” or “may notice that you’re hungry and make you a delicious egg sandwich.”
“I could go on and on. Really,” he said. “Today is Gwyneth’s birthday. So today we notice her like she notices us every day. And we celebrate her because if anyone deserves to be celebrated it’s you, Gwyneth. Happy birthday.”
Three years after their 2018 nuptials, Paltrow gushed over her husband when she told the Today show’s Savannah Guthrie that it’s “really possible to meet your dream man halfway through your life”.
“I just feel so grateful, the quality of our communication and our friendship, it’s really thrilling and I think wonderful for people who had a marriage or relationship that didn’t work out to understand that it’s really possible to meet your dream man halfway through your life,” Paltrow said.
During the interview, Paltrow also reflected on her relationship with ex-husband Chris Martin, revealing that she also feels “really grateful” that the singer was willing to work with her to keep the family together.
“Chris and I are family, we always will be, we’re very good friends,” the Goop founder said. “He’s like my brother. I’m so grateful for him and for having given me these kids.”
This isn’t the only time Paltrow has spoken about her past relationships following her marriage to Falchuk. In fact, the Emma star maintains a friendship with her ex-fiancé, Brad Pitt. When asked by Entertainment Tonight how her husband feels about her friendship with the Bullet Train star, Paltrow praised Falchuk and explained that he approves of her belief in “conscious uncoupling”.
“My husband is probably like the least judgmental, most secure man in our relationship, so I think he totally respects [the friendship],” she said last October. “Probably one of the things that he likes about me is that I believe in conscious uncoupling, whether you’re uncoupling with a coworker, a spouse, or a boyfriend.”
Most recently, Gwyneth Paltrow has been facing trial after being sued by a man who accused her of colliding with him in a “hit-and-run ski crash” seven years ago. The incident took place at the Deer Valley Resort in Utah in February 2016, where Paltrow collided with retired optometrist Dr Terry Sanderson on the slopes.
Sanderson, 76, insists Paltrow ran into him on a beginner’s course after racing downhill in an “out-of-control” manner. He alleged in his complaint that he was left with “permanent traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and disfigurement”.
However, Paltrow has called the lawsuit “a meritless claim” and “an attempt to exploit her celebrity and wealth”, insisting she “remembers what happened very clearly”. The retired optometrist is seeking $300,000 in compensation for the injuries he sustained, while the actor has filed a countersuit for just $1.
During last week’s trial hearing, the Politician star testified why the 2016 ski trip was “significant” for her and Falchuk’s children. On 24 March, Paltrow explained that the getaway marked the couple’s “first” vacation to test the blending of their families.
“This was a significant trip for us,” Paltrow told the courtroom, according to People. “It was the first time Brad and I were introducing our kids and doing something together to see if we could blend families.”
Her husband, Brad Falchuk, and her children, Apple and Moses, are expected to testify this week.
