Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and businesswoman. The daughter of filmmaker Bruce Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner, she established herself as a leading lady appearing in primarily mid-budget and period films during the 1990s and early 2000s, before transitioning to blockbusters and franchises. Her accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Paltrow gained notice for her early work in films including Seven (1995), Emma (1996), Sliding Doors (1998), and A Perfect Murder (1998). She garnered wider acclaim for her role as Viola de Lesseps in the historical romance Shakespeare in Love (1998), which earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. This was followed by roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), and Shallow Hal (2001). She made her West End debut in the David Auburn's play Proof (2003), earning a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress nomination, and reprised the role in the 2005 film of the same name.
After becoming a parent in 2004, Paltrow reduced her acting workload by making intermittent appearances in films such as Two Lovers (2008), Country Strong (2010), and Contagion (2011).