For nearly three decades, Gwyneth Paltrow has occupied a unique place in modern culture: scion of a distinguished Hollywood family, modern lifestyle guru, and an unshakable A-list actress. She won an Oscar before turning 30, starred in films that defined the ’90s (Shakespeare in Love, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Se7en), and later became a global pop culture icon as Pepper Potts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Then, at what many would consider the peak of her fame, she quietly stepped away. But she didn’t disappear.

Instead, she channeled her energy into Goop, the wellness and lifestyle company she founded in 2008, transforming it from a personal newsletter into a global business with immense cultural influence. At the same time, she raised Apple and Moses—her children with ex-husband Chris Martin—married TV producer Brad Falchuk, and created a new, blended family with his children. Acting, once the center of her life, was put on pause. Not as a rejection, but as a choice. Her return, then, feels less like a “comeback” and more like a redefinition.

In Josh Safdie’s frenetic “Marty Supreme,” the American star plays a former actress living with the compromises, losses, and silent regrets of her past. Her encounter with Marty, a charming but insatiably ambitious young man (played by Golden Globe winner Timothée Chalamet), is not a romantic salvation but an act of mutual recognition. The role engages with the archetypes of classic Hollywood only to deconstruct them, and Paltrow’s choice—once synonymous with effortless celebrity—is almost postmodern. If “Marty Supreme” marks her return to acting, she does so on her own terms.

Without haste, without apologies, without the need to reclaim anything. Only with curiosity, confidence, and the quiet certainty of a woman who left when she needed to and returned when it made sense.

Gala: Was there a moment in your life when you took a break from cinema and longed to return, but feared you couldn’t do it again?

Gwyneth Paltrow: For several years, I was so focused on my business that I distanced myself from the film world. Maybe that was a way to protect myself, so I wouldn’t feel like I was missing out. My business life is incredibly interesting and exciting. Artists and entrepreneurs are very much alike. They are two sides of the same coin. I never regretted stepping away. It was the right thing for me and my children at that time. I’m just happy that Josh [Safdie] told me, “Come back and do it again.”

Gala: Safdie, who is also the film’s director, has said that while you’re chasing your dream, real life happens. You’ve inspired many women by achieving your business goals. How do you create this balance? Do you ever feel like life is passing you by while you’re pursuing your dream?

GP: In a way, I feel like I’ve had different chapters in my life where I’ve followed different dreams. In my 20s, until I had my daughter, my dream was cinema. Then came the wonderful dream of motherhood, which continues to this day. And then I had a business dream. Unexpectedly, but also expectedly, the dream of cinema returned. It was something I wasn’t sure would ever happen. In a way, what Josh says is true: you chase big dreams, life goes on, and then you come back down to earth. It’s not easy to do many things at once. It’s very hard to balance everything at the same time.

Gala: Which classic Hollywood stars inspired you to create your character?

GP: I had in mind a darker version of Grace Kelly for this film, because she gave up a beautiful and important career for marriage. I felt that something changed in her eyes after that decision. She never returned to Hollywood. She sacrificed everything. And I think she broke a little. My character makes a similar choice. She sacrifices her artistic freedom and full self-expression for a sense of security within marriage. We must remember that at that time, women couldn’t have bank accounts, mortgages, or credit cards. They were completely dependent on their husbands. So she made a choice that didn’t honor her at all. She tried very hard to convince herself that it would work. Then she lost her child and collapsed. There’s a huge tragedy there, but also something very harsh. Life is hard and it hardens you. It was a wonderful challenge to be able to portray this woman in all her complexity.

Gala: In the film, you tell Timothée [Chalamet]: “What are you going to do? Play ping pong? You need a Plan B.” And he doesn’t have one, but neither do you, right?

GP: I think if you have backup plans, it’s very hard to achieve your main dream. I believe you have to have great faith, almost delusional, that you can achieve your dream. That’s the only way to make it happen. Having a backup plan in your mind, like a safety net, undermines your mission on an energetic level. Sometimes life can disappoint you. You might reach a point where you say, “Okay, maybe now I need to think of a different direction.” But as long as you have the dream, there can be no other plan.

Gala: Looking back at your career, what did you have in common with Marty? What gave you the push to move forward?

GP: When you’re 20 and have a dream, you have this incredible confidence. As you get older, you become more realistic about life and what’s possible. But when you’re 20, before the world really reveals itself to you, you believe anything is possible. What drives Marty is a very specific element of youth. It’s that incredible, almost naive belief that you will achieve your dream. I had that same faith in my 20s about my acting career, and I was very lucky to realize much of that dream.

Gala: How did your experience in Hollywood help you play a grande dame of the theater?

GP: I was a little nervous when we started the film—because I was returning in front of the cameras. Fortunately, on the first day, we were shooting the scene where we rehearsed for the play. I started in theater and did many performances. That’s how I learned the craft. I was nervous, but as soon as I stepped on stage, I thought, “Okay, I remember this. I know how to do this.” And I had my mother’s voice in my head telling me that “you have to stay grounded on the stage.” She calls it “the board,” because it’s traditional. I was grateful that my first day back was like that. The play within the film is like a bad Tennessee Williams play. You’re trying to make something good out of something that isn’t. I felt like I had returned to my element.

Gala: How did your children react when they saw you co-starring in a film with Timothée Chalamet?

GP: They often meet famous people, but they find it kind of boring. However, the case of Timothée was very interesting to my kids. He’s truly the face of a generation. My son thinks he’s incredibly cool, and my daughter, when she saw Call Me By Your Name, was swooning in the kitchen. My stepchildren were just as excited. Of course, they were less thrilled with the paparazzi photos of us kissing in the park. It embarrassed them, especially my son. (laughs)

Gala: Your daughter is starting to become famous. Do you advise her? Or do you discourage her from following the same path?

GP: Apple is amazing. She’s so lovely and smart. She’s in her last year of college, preparing for law school. But I think she’ll follow in my footsteps. With the kids, whenever they want to talk about anything or ask for any advice, of course I’m happy to do so. I’ll share my experience, what helped me, and what was difficult. But I also think you really have to let kids find their own way and their own inspiration, and not try to impose your own vision on them. I think the best thing you can do is recognize them for who they are, in their entirety, and then let them spread their wings and be there when they need you.

Gala: Have you returned to cinema for good now? Are you open to new offers?

GP: We’ll see. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that life is long, interesting, full of twists and surprises. I’m more open to making more films, if they could be experiences like this one, which was truly special.