EXCLUSIVE: Gwyneth Paltrow Savaged Over Claim She Only Took Raunchy Role Alongside Timothée Chalamet to 'Be Close to Her Children'
Critics savaged Gwyneth Paltrow after she claimed the role let her stay close to her children
Dec. 23 2025, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Gwyneth Paltrow is being hammered by an online backlash after saying she returned to acting to be closer to her children, with critics accusing her of using the explanation to deflect attention from the "massive enjoyment" she drew from shooting steamy scenes opposite Timothée Chalamet in her first film role in six years.
The Oscar-winning actress and Goop founder, 53, stars in Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie, which was filmed largely in New York during a period when her children Apple and Moses, were away at college.
A Serendipitous Return to the Screen
Gwyneth Paltrow returned to acting after a six-year break.
Paltrow, who shares them with her former husband Chris Martin said the timing and location aligned with what she described as an "empty nest" phase, prompting her decision to return to the screen after stepping back from acting.
The actress said in a recent interview: "I hadn't really caught the acting bug again, but Josh Safdie is so brilliant and it dovetailed with a time when all the kids are in college and I had an empty nest, and I thought, 'Gosh, maybe this would be a fun thing or interesting thing to be in New York and be close to the kids.' So, it just worked out in a really serendipitous way."
Viral Scenes and Online Mockery
Paparazzi captured Gwyneth Paltrow kissing Timothée Chalamet during filming.
But her explanation has been met with huge mockery online following the circulation of paparazzi photographs taken last year showing Paltrow kissing Chalamet, 29, during filming in Central Park.
The images went viral, fueling jokes about how Paltrow had only returned to film primarily to work closely with the younger star.
Social media users have now mocked the idea that proximity to her children was the sole motivation, with some accusing her of downplaying the film's sexual content.
Paltrow previously addressed the attention surrounding the scenes, saying the public nature of the shoot made them unavoidable.
She said: "Honestly, when you shoot in Central Park, there are so many paparazzi around you're just trying to focus on what you're doing. My daughter thought it was very bad-a-- and my son was like, 'Mom, my God, this is too much.'"
Trolling and Domestic Tension
Brad Falchuk supported Gwyneth Paltrow despite the online backlash.
Industry sources close to the production said the reaction has now escalated beyond light-hearted teasing.
One entertainment insider said: "She's being trolled pretty hard. A lot of fans are convinced she took the role just to kiss Timothée, and that's become the joke online, even though she's explained her reasons."
The chatter has also spilled into Paltrow's personal life, sources tell us.
She has been married since 2018 to television producer Brad Falchuk, 54, and sources say the ongoing commentary about the on-screen romance has caused frustration.
Another source said: "Brad is supportive of her career, but the constant jokes and memes about why she took the role have been annoying. The focus on the kissing scenes has overshadowed everything else."
Family Discomfort and Premiere Reactions
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Paltrow acknowledged the scenes embarrassed her teenage son.
Paltrow has also spoken openly about the discomfort the film caused her family. She admitted her teenage son struggled watching the movie at its Los Angeles premiere earlier this month.
Appearing on Late Night With Seth Meyers, she was asked how Moses reacted to the sex scenes and replied: "Not great."
She then demonstrated his reaction by crouching and covering her eyes, adding: "He was like this the entire time. He's not into that."
She compared the experience to an earlier career moment, recalling an awkward screening of Shakespeare in Love with her grandfather.
"I remember once that I was so scared because I was taking my grandfather to see the premiere of Shakespeare in Love," she said, recounting how she tried to warn him about a topless scene.
"And he just goes: 'Ah, I seen it before. Two eggs, sunny side up.'"
