Gwyneth Paltrow shares rare insight on past relationship with Brad Pitt that ‘didn’t work out’

The actress’ romance with Pitt began in 1994 after they met during the filming of ‘Seven’ and ended nearly three years later.
Gwyneth Paltrow opens up about her relationship Brad Pitt and their eventual split (Photo by Kevin Mazur Archive/WireImage)
Gwyneth Paltrow opens up about her relationship Brad Pitt and their eventual split (Photo by Kevin Mazur Archive/WireImage)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gwyneth Paltrow recently reflected on her “heady” romance with her ex-fiance, Brad Pitt, whom she started dating in 1994 after they met while filming David Fincher’s crime thriller, ‘Seven.’

The actress, 53, and Pitt, 62, even got engaged two years later, in 1996, but their relationship didn't last, and they went their separate ways a year later.

Gwyneth Paltrow on her ‘love at first sight thing’ with Brad Pitt

Decades after their split, Paltrow opened up about her past relationship with Pitt during an appearance on Benny Blanco, Lil Dicky, and Kristin Batalucco’s podcast, ‘Friends Keep Secrets.’

1995 Los Angeles, CA. Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt at the premiere of
1995 Los Angeles, CA. Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt at the premiere of "Copycat." (Getty Images)

“I met him on set and like we had like kind of a love at first sight thing. It was pretty awesome. It was really fun,” the Oscar winning star shared while also noting, “I had movies coming out, so I was sort of getting famous on my own, and I was famous as his girlfriend.”

Gwyneth Paltrow claims romance with Brad Pitt was ‘very heady’

Pitt and Paltrow eventually broke up after nearly three years together, and as per the actress, she felt devastated at the time.

She explained, “I was so bummed when we broke up, and I think that the press aspect and all that makes it feel larger than life in a way.” 

Paltrow added, “You have to carry this faux cultural importance piece and it’s this extra burden and this extra almost shame that it didn’t work out. It was hard.” 

Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow were a pair in the 90s. (Photo by Diane Freed via Getty Images)
Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow were a pair in the 90s. (Photo by Diane Freed via Getty Images)

“I think there was an aspect of it that was very heady. I was very young, and he was this beautiful movie star. But he’s a great guy, and I love him to this day,” the ‘Shallow Hal’ actress stated, before asserting, “He’s a friend.”

Gwyneth Paltrow said she was ‘all over the place’ during Brad Pitt engagement

The Emmy winner had earlier disclosed that it was she who ended her engagement with the ‘F1’ star.

On the ‘Call Me Daddy’ podcast three years ago, Paltrow said, “It was the right thing at that time, but it was really hard. There were a number of things that had happened, he was nine years older than me — he knew what he wanted, he was ready to do it and I was kind of all over the place.”

“So it was really one of those difficult things, where I felt like, ‘Oh my God, not only am I not ready, I’m not living up to the standards again.’ It was a familiar refrain I felt about myself,” she added in 2023.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 09: Gwyneth Paltrow attends the AFI Awards Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 09, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
Gwyneth Paltrow attends the AFI Awards Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 09, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

Paltrow is currently married to television writer and director Brad Falchuk, while Pitt is in a relationship with jewelry designer Ines de Ramon.

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