Before the era of Brangelina and ‘consciously uncoupling,’ there was the unforgettable couple that defined the 1990s Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow. As Hollywood’s ‘IT’ couple, they graced magazine covers and made headlines for about three years, even getting engaged during that time.
So, what led to their breakup? According to biographer Amy Odell, who documented Paltrow’s life, the reasons were rooted in cultural differences. Pitt and Paltrow met on the set of ‘Seven,’ and their relationship quickly moved beyond just co-stars. They appeared together on red carpets and made subtle references to their romance in speeches. Paltrow got engaged in December 1996 in Argentina and showed off her engagement ring in March 1997, but the engagement was called off just three months later in June.
Odell explains that the split was largely due to their contrasting backgrounds. Paltrow’s upbringing in Manhattan, with her elite education and privileged lifestyle, clashed with Pitt’s Midwestern roots and religious upbringing in Missouri. Paltrow reportedly felt that Pitt lacked the sophistication she was accustomed to, believing she was more educated and refined.
The biography recounts an instance where Gwyneth mentioned in an interview, “Brad and I have very different upbringings. So, when we go to restaurants and order caviar, I have to tell him, ‘This is beluga, and this is osetra.’” Interestingly, in a 2023 podcast with ‘Call Her Daddy,’ Paltrow admitted she was heartbroken when their engagement ended, even though she wasn’t ready to marry at the time.
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