Gwyneth Paltrow has definitively debunked the viral myth that she uses her Oscar as a doorstop — a stunt she did for a Vogue video — and revealed it took 25 years to feel ready to display the trophy publicly.
Gwyneth Paltrow is setting the record straight on whether she uses her Oscar as a doorstop — and the answer is no, not really. The 53-year-old actress recently clarified on Entertainment Weekly’s “The Awardist” podcast that the viral moment was a one-time gag for a Vogue video, not a lifestyle habit.
“That was just for a stupid Vogue video,” Paltrow said. “They’re like, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to use your Oscar as a doorstop?’ And then of course, as you know [it became legend].”
The Oscar, which she won in 1999 for her role as Viola De Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love, has been a source of both pride and psychological weight for her. “I think it was weird, because it was such a huge and pivotal moment, and it’s one of those things where you are kind of like this person that people are excited about and are building up,” she explained. “And then, in one fell swoop, it’s too much. You’re not an underdog anymore…. The tenor changed. It was just a lot to hold as a 26-year-old.”
In 2023, Paltrow made headlines when she filmed a Vogue 73 Questions interview and propped open a door in her garden with the award. “What a beautiful Academy Award,” interviewer Joe Sabia said, to which Paltrow replied, “My doorstop. It works perfectly!”
But in reality, she keeps the award on a bookshelf — “hiding behind a door” — and recently moved it to “a bookshelf with other stuff on it.” “I think I had, I don’t know. … I think I had a bit of healing to do, in terms of how I held that and everything that happened and happened after it,” she said. “It was a lot to metabolize. And so it took me, I guess 25 years to be like, ‘OK, I’m ready to put this on the bookshelf.’”
Paltrow’s emotional journey with the award was catalyzed by her husband, Brad Falchuk. “It’s funny because my husband was actually watching it maybe six months ago on TV. It was just on, and I came in and I was like … I’m always like, ‘Oh God, change it,’” she recalled. “I was so young and I looked so different.”
She continued, “It was the first time I was actually able to watch it in a long time. I didn’t watch the whole movie, but I watched a couple of scenes and I was like, ‘You know what? This stands the test of time. I’m really proud of my work. I’m really proud of this film. It’s a perfect screenplay … I don’t know. It was just kind of like a nice moment.”
Now, Paltrow is starring in Marty Supreme — her first major acting role in years. After she signed on to the film, she admitted she felt jitters. “I said yes, and then I was like, ‘Oh f***, do I remember how to do this?’ It had been seven years,” she recalled in a December 2025 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “But I didn’t get the bug back until I was on set doing the hair-and-makeup test. That’s when I was like, ‘Oh, what is this weird feeling I’m having? Oh, my God, this is excitement. I’m actually really excited to be here.’”
Marty Supreme is in theaters now.
For fans who have followed Paltrow’s career since Shakespeare in Love, this moment is more than a clarification — it’s a testament to her resilience and evolution. The Oscar isn’t just a trophy; it’s a symbol of a career that has weathered fame, scrutiny, and personal growth. Her decision to finally display it isn’t about vanity — it’s about acceptance.
As Paltrow herself said, “I’m really proud of my work. I’m really proud of this film. It’s a perfect screenplay.” And now, after 25 years, she’s ready to let the world see it — not as a doorstop, but as a legacy.
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