A biography on Gwyneth Paltrow has just been released, revealing several juicy allegations about the actress. In the biography’s excerpts, journalist author Amy Odell claimed that the Goop founder allegedly had an “icy” attitude on the sets of her movies, such as A Perfect Murder and the Best Picture winner Shakespeare in Love, where she won an Oscar. But one allegation I absolutely didn’t see coming was the brutal nickname she reportedly gave Winona Ryder when their friendship was ending.
Why Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder Initially Ran Around Together In Hollywood
Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder were actresses who dominated ‘90s movie roles. So, it’s no surprise that the two were good friends.
According to Gwyneth: A Biography (via DailyMail), Paltrow and Ryder first ran around together in Hollywood during the time she and Brad Pitt dated, starting from 1994. Paltrow’s breakup with Pitt in 1997 led her to move in with Ryder, in need of support from a friend.
The two friends would be in a friendship square, as the Emma actress was in a relationship with Ben Affleck that year, and the Heathers actress was dating Matt Damon. Since Damon and Affleck had a notable Hollywood bromance, this Hollywood foursome would be a perfect blend, right? However, Gwyneth Paltrow’s biography excerpts detailed what reportedly caused the friendship between the two actresses to fall apart.
Why Their Relationship Allegedly Soured, Leading To One Memorable Nickname
Amy Odell’s biography alleged that Winona Ryder and her then-boyfriend, Matt Damon argued. When she came back to her and Gwyneth Paltrow’s apartment, the Lucas actress reportedly claimed to have been robbed. The same thing allegedly happened a second time, where the actress made the same assertion.
Damon was sympathetic to his then-girlfriend’s claims. But the biography said Gwyneth Paltrow reportedly believed Winona Ryder had an ulterior motive in her repeated robbery accounts:
Damon consoled her but Gwyneth and Affleck believed Ryder fabricated the robberies as a ploy for attention (there’s no proof of this). Gwyneth was annoyed that Damon couldn’t see it. Though Damon was kind to her friends, Gwyneth didn’t seem to like him after that.
Things between Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder apparently didn’t get any better. In fact, Gwyneth: A Biography stated that the Proof actress allegedly gave the Stranger Things star a brutal nickname I never would have seen coming:
Her friendship with Ryder would only deteriorate further, and Gwyneth gave her the nickname ‘Vagina Ryder.’
A reportedly brutal nickname like this seems to reflect the alleged state of the deteriorating friendship the two actresses reportedly had. After Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck broke up in 2000, she would go on to marry Coldplay’s Chris Martin in 2003 and have two kids. After their amicable divorce in 2016, Paltrow is now married to producer Brad Falchuk.
As for Winona Ryder, she and Matt Damon broke up in 2000. But ever since 2011, the Reality Bites actress has been dating fashion designer Scott Mackinlay Hahn.
While it’s not surprising drama would be brewing in Hollywood when the cameras are off, I never would have expected Gwyneth Paltrow’s allegedly brutal nickname for her ex-friend Winona Ryder. The biography’s reported revelation shows the complicated dynamics that could occur between two actresses rising to fame in the ‘90s.
Gwyneth: A Biography is available on Amazon and the shelves of your local bookstore. Gwyneth Paltrow’s 2025 movie release, Marty Supreme, hits theaters on Christmas Day. Make sure to also watch Winona Ryder’s 2025 Netflix release of Stranger Things, coming for part one of its final season on November 26th.