Gwyneth Paltrow Reacts to Glenn Close Saying Her Oscar Win Didn’t ‘Make Sense’

Gwyneth Paltrow is just now learning what Glenn Close said about her Oscar win for Shakespeare in Love. The Goop founder, during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Thursday, played “Plead the Fifth,” in which Cohen asks a series of juicy questions, of which they can choose to skip only one. 

Cohen asked as part of the game Paltrow’s reaction to Close saying last year that the actress’ 1999 Best Actress Academy Award win didn’t “make sense” to her. Paltrow laughed, responding, “I just heard this from you, Andy! I never heard about this.” Asked if she wanted to “plead the fifth” on the question, Paltrow responded, “Well, I guess I have to because I don’t know enough about it. So I plead the fifth.”

Close’s comments about Paltrow’s Oscar win came during an interview with ABC News’ Popcorn with Peter Travers last November as the 74-year-old discussed her eighth Oscar nomination for Hillbilly Elegy in the broader context of industry award shows. Explaining that performances are difficult to compare, Close used Paltrow’s win for Shakespeare in Love over Fernanda Montenegro for Central Station as a conclusion that didn’t “make sense.”

“I honestly feel that to be nominated by your peers is about as good as it gets. And then, I’ve never understood how you could honestly compare performances, you know?” Close said in the interview. “I remember the year Gwyneth Paltrow won over that incredible actress who was in Central Station and I thought, ‘What?’ It doesn’t make sense.” She continued that wins have “a lot of things to do with” external factors to the performance, including “traction” and publicity the film has gotten as well as its promotional budget “to put it out in front of everybody’s sight.” 

Paltrow’s win for Best Actress in March 1999 also included in the category Cate Blanchett for Elizabeth; Montenegro for Central Station; Meryl Streep for One True Thing; and Emily Watson for Hilary and Jackie. Shakespeare in Love would go on to win six other Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench and Best Picture.