At one time, actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder were practically inseparable.
The two were constantly spotted together in the late 90s, which was the height of both their careers.
For Ryder, she had gained notoriety for her roles in ‘Beetlejuice’, ‘Edward Scissorhands’ and ‘Little Women’, while Paltrow had recently starred in the films ‘Se7en’ and ‘Emma’.
On top of that, the two women were dating best friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and Paltrow was even the one who introduced Ryder to Damon.
The two stars are said to have been roommates at one time and have always been spotted together attending glamorous events in Hollywood, although their friendship quickly turned sour due to a film role.
Why did Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder argue?
The two icons would have abruptly interrupted their friendship at the end of the 90s and have not been the same since.
Gwyneth Paltrow allegedly stole a script from Winona Ryder’s home – sparking their feud.
It all started after Paltrow visited Ryder at her home in San Francisco and saw the script for “Shakespeare in Love,” which immediately piqued her interest.
Paltrow reportedly read the script for the 1998 film and immediately fell in love with the lead role of Viola de Lesseps.
The ‘Iron Man’ actress wasted no time calling her agent to book an audition, despite Ryder vying for the same role because she had the script.
Of course, this caused a major conflict in Paltrow and Ryder’s friendship.
This was compounded after Paltrow wasn’t just cast in the 1998 romantic period comedy-drama film; but also received the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role the following year.
Despite rumors that Paltrow hacked the script from Ryder’s house and stole the role, the “Sliding Doors” actress has denied doing such a thing in the past.
Paltrow accused Ryder of making up “lies” about her.
During an interview with Howard Stern in 2015, Paltrow claimed the allegations were an “urban myth”.
“I swear to God no, I raise my right hand to the Bible. I swear to God,” she said, adding that she hadn’t seen or spoken to Ryder in years.
She further claimed that Ryder’s “jealousy” led the “Stranger Things” actress to “make up lies” about their friendship and its subsequent end.
Paltrow previously hinted at a feud between her and Ryder.
Although Paltrow vehemently denies she had a role in Ryder without getting the lead role in “Shakespeare in Love,” she once hinted at a feud with Ryder in 2009.
In a Goop newsletter article titled “Bad Language and Living in Negativity,” Paltrow referenced an “enemy” she once had who was “determined to bring me down.”
“This person really did what they could to hurt me,” she wrote, according to Access.
“I was deeply upset, I was angry, I was all those things you feel when you find out that someone you thought you loved was venomous and dangerous.”
She continued, “I restrained myself from fighting back. I tried to take the high road. But one day I heard that something unfortunate and humiliating had happened to this person. And my reaction was was a deep relief and… happiness. Let’s go for the high road. . “
Although Paltrow didn’t explicitly name Ryder in the 2009 post, many people believed she was referring to her former friend, especially after writing about an “unfortunate” incident that happened to the anonymous person.
Many thought Paltrow made an indiscreet reference to Ryder’s 2001 Beverly Hills arrest for shoplifting.
At the time, the actress was accused of stealing $5,500 worth of designer clothes and accessories from a department store, where she was later convicted of armed robbery, shoplifting and vandalism.
In December 2002, Ryder was sentenced to three years probation, 480 hours of community service, $3,700 in fines, and $6,355 restitution at the Saks Fifth Avenue store.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues and current affairs. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
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