Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow said that she never wanted to get a divorce from her first husband Chris Martin; but that the experience of separating from the Coldplay singer helped her learn about herself.
On a recent episode of Anna Faris’ podcast series Anna Faris is Unqualified, Paltrow spoke about her split with Martin in 2016 after 13 years of marriage.
“I’ve learned so much from something I wanted least in the world,” Paltrow said. “I never wanted to get divorced. I never wanted to not be married to the father of my kids, theoretically.”
Paltrow and Martin have two children together. Apple, 16, was born in May 2004, while Moses, 14, was born in April 2006.
Paltrow and Martin married in 2003 but filed for divorce in April 2015, with the divorce finalized in 2016. Paltrow described the process as “conscious uncoupling.” In an essay last August, Paltrow expanded upon the term and wrote: “Conscious uncoupling lets us recognize those two different loves can coexist and nourish each other.”
The Oscar-winning actress told Faris she was able to learn more about herself from the experience of divorce than she ever “could have imagined.” And she said this, in turn, led to her finding her current husband, the producer Brad Falchuk.
“Because I focused on accountability, I was then able to find the most amazing man and build something that I’ve never had before with Brad, my husband,” Paltrow said.
Paltrow told Faris she was initially “scared” when she first started dating the American Horror Story producer.
“He is a person who demands presence and intimacy and communication in a way I just didn’t know how to,” she said. “I like to fight by shutting down — goodbye! I leave the room. And he was like: ‘No, absolutely not. We’re sitting down, and we’re figuring this out’. And he demands that I am honest with myself in a way that is hard for me but which really helps me grow.”
Paltrow worked on Falchuk’s show Glee, and the two soon started dating. In 2015, the pair made their first public appearance as a couple at Robert Downey Jr.’s 50th birthday party. In 2018, Paltrow and Falchuk announced their engagement. They married later that year in September.
Paltrow and Martin have remained good friends since their divorce. The Avengers star has also said she adores Martin’s new partner, the actor Dakota Johnson, whom Martin has been dating since 2017.