Gwyneth Paltrow

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• Gwyneth Paltrow felt a unique sense of joy and rediscovered her craft during the filming of *Marty Supreme*, marking a significant return to acting after a decade-long break.  Copied to clipboard!
• Paltrow and Poehler bonded over shared experiences regarding public projection, the difficulty of being constantly looked at, and the importance of direct communication as recovering codependents.  Copied to clipboard!
• The conversation revealed Paltrow's personal health routines, including her preference for sleeping in the 60s, her use of mouth tape, and her nuanced approach to cold plunging based on individual tolerance.  Copied to clipboard!

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Sponsor Read: Apple Watch

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(00:00:00)

• Key Takeaway: Apple Watch motivates users to maintain New Year’s resolutions through gentle nudges and tracking achievement streaks.
• Summary: The Apple Watch encourages users to avoid ‘Quitter’s Day’ by tracking movement goals and activity rings. It functions as a polite, wrist-worn motivational mentor. The product is advertised as being ‘made to motivate.’

Introducing Gwyneth Paltrow

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(00:00:53)

• Key Takeaway: The episode with Gwyneth Paltrow will cover codependency, bone density, and Poehler’s mistaken identity of Paltrow for Nicole Kidman.
• Summary: Amy Poehler introduces Gwyneth Paltrow, noting they will discuss codependency and bone density. A key personal anecdote mentioned is Poehler mistaking Paltrow for Nicole Kidman. They will also discuss Paltrow’s return to acting in the new film Marty Supreme.

Interview with Josh Safdie

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(00:01:24)

• Key Takeaway: Director Josh Safdie wrote Marty Supreme specifically for Gwyneth Paltrow, drawing on memories of her early film roles.
• Summary: Josh Safdie joins via Zoom to discuss directing Paltrow in Marty Supreme. Safdie wrote the role with Paltrow in mind, referencing her work in films like Seven and Talented Mr. Ripley. He described her as a balance of ‘boulder’ and ‘feather,’ bringing both confidence and vulnerability to the role.

Sponsor Read: Nespresso

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(00:02:01)

• Key Takeaway: Nespresso’s new Vertuo Up machine offers a three-second start and dedicated modes for brewing coffee over ice or milk.
• Summary: The Nespresso Vertuo Up is promoted for those who prioritize their coffee ritual, featuring quick start-up and easy lever operation. Listeners can use code ‘Amy’ at checkout for a free set of Lume coffee mugs with a qualifying purchase.

Josh Safdie’s Press Tour Kitchen

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(00:02:37)

• Key Takeaway: Josh Safdie conducted press interviews from a London kitchen due to double-booking, highlighting the logistical challenges of promotion.
• Summary: Safdie was in London for grueling press for Marty Supreme and was relegated to eating in the kitchen because his schedule was double-booked. He humorously showed Poehler the pastries available, noting the traffic was minimal enough for the call.

Casting Approach and Paltrow’s Vulnerability

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(00:04:08)

• Key Takeaway: Safdie intentionally scheduled Paltrow’s first scene back to acting in 25 years to be her character’s first time on stage, eliciting genuine vulnerability.
• Summary: Safdie shared that he wrote the role for Paltrow and that she expressed nervousness about acting again before shooting began. He noted that Paltrow possesses a rare balance of self-awareness and creative openness. The scene where her character performs on stage beautifully captured this return to acting.

Paltrow’s Ability to Withstand Scrutiny

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(00:07:01)

• Key Takeaway: Gwyneth Paltrow has a unique capacity to withstand intense public scrutiny and being looked at, a trait Poehler admits she lacks.
• Summary: Poehler observed that Paltrow is one of the most projected-upon people, capable of withstanding constant observation. Poehler contrasted this by mentioning she married her husband at City Hall specifically to avoid being looked at while walking down an aisle.

Hollywood Meeting Power Dynamics

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(00:07:47)

• Key Takeaway: A common Hollywood tactic used by powerful figures to prematurely end meetings involves an assistant interrupting to mention a subsequent appointment.
• Summary: Safdie recounted meeting Paltrow and observing her assistant attempt to cut the meeting short after 15 minutes, a known trick to escape difficult conversations. Paltrow countered this by repeatedly pushing the next meeting back, signaling her engagement, which convinced Safdie he secured her for the film.

Paltrow’s Return to Acting Feelings

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(00:13:28)

• Key Takeaway: Paltrow felt a sense of unique, non-pedestrian joy and realized she missed acting while filming Marty Supreme.
• Summary: Paltrow confirmed feeling joy upon returning to acting for the film, describing the project as feeling ‘special’ and ‘worthwhile.’ She noted that the unique and talented group made her feel she had missed the process.

Paltrow on Director Josh Safdie

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(00:14:46)

• Key Takeaway: Paltrow finds working with Josh Safdie challenging yet rewarding because his kinetic directing style keeps actors off-balance to unearth surprising, real performances.
• Summary: Paltrow described Safdie as brilliant and kinetic, noting he often asks actors to do the exact opposite of what they just did. She trusts this process, believing it is designed to unearth something surprising, unlike working with an unprepared director where actors become risk-averse.

Poehler’s Efficiency Issues on Set

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(00:16:08)

• Key Takeaway: Amy Poehler struggles with efficiency, often trying to ‘shape the day’ due to her experience working on fast-paced productions like Glee and SNL.
• Summary: Poehler admits she has an efficiency issue and tries to push production along, contrasting film sets with the machine-like speed of TV shows like Glee or the emergency room pace of SNL. She noted that time feels like the most important currency in production.

Josh Safdie’s Concern for Reception

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(00:10:06)

• Key Takeaway: Despite Marty Supreme’s critical success, director Josh Safdie remains invested in hearing feedback, particularly from his son, Moses, whose dog shares the name.
• Summary: Poehler praised Safdie for still caring about the film’s reception, even after positive reviews. Safdie specifically wanted to know what his son, Moses, thought of the movie, noting the dog in the film is also named Moses.

Paltrow on Public Perception and Versions

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(00:17:57)

• Key Takeaway: Paltrow views the public’s strong reactions to her personal life, like the term ‘conscious uncoupling,’ as evidence that people personalize external narratives.
• Summary: Poehler referenced Paltrow’s speech about ‘versions of ourselves’ and the difficulty of having past selves judged publicly. Paltrow explained that negative reactions to ‘conscious uncoupling’ stemmed from people feeling the term implied they handled their own divorces incorrectly.

Childhood Friendship with Maya Rudolph

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(00:18:47)

• Key Takeaway: Gwyneth Paltrow and Maya Rudolph have been close friends since age seven because their fathers were best friends from Tulane University.
• Summary: Paltrow confirmed that Maya Rudolph joined her elementary school after her mother passed away, leading to a lifelong friendship. Their senses of humor developed together, and she values having Maya’s father, Dick Rudolph, who knew her own father well.

High School Years and Early Jobs

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(00:19:59)

• Key Takeaway: Paltrow was fired from her first job at a Madison Avenue toy store at age 12 for taking spring break off, an action her boss deemed unacceptable.
• Summary: Moving to New York in seventh grade, Paltrow found middle school brutal and tried on many identities. She recalled being fired from her after-school job because she took spring break, which the owner felt showed a lack of commitment to work.

Being ‘Too Hot to Touch’ Professionally

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(00:22:07)

• Key Takeaway: A film distributor once shelved a project starring Paltrow due to the controversy surrounding her divorce and the term ‘conscious uncoupling,’ deeming her ’too hot to touch.’
• Summary: Paltrow revealed that around the time of her divorce, a distributor backed out of a film, citing that the public heat around her personal life was too much. She noted that this experience, combined with being fired from her childhood job, highlighted the difficulty of navigating public opinion.

Directness vs. Codependency

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(00:29:01)

• Key Takeaway: Paltrow is now direct when receiving bad news, a change from her past as a recovering codependent who avoided causing choppy waters by withholding the truth.
• Summary: Both Paltrow and Poehler prefer direct communication when receiving news about problems. Paltrow explained that around age 40, she learned that avoiding necessary, direct conversations leads to dishonesty and creates bigger messes in relationships.

Impact of Past Work

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(00:31:23)

• Key Takeaway: Paltrow is now able to appreciate the cultural impact of her earlier films, like Sliding Doors and The Royal Tenenbaums, after taking a long break from acting.
• Summary: Paltrow feels she can finally see the impact of her earlier work, noting that people still reference Sliding Doors moments or dress up as Margot Tenenbaum for Halloween. She feels that her break allowed her to step back and recognize the cultural footprint of those films.

Speed Round: Film Facts

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(00:33:11)

• Key Takeaway: Gwyneth Paltrow confirmed she was not in the film Cold Mountain, a common misattribution she attributes to being interchangeable with Nicole Kidman.
• Summary: During a rapid-fire round, Paltrow clarified she was not in Cold Mountain but noted that people often confuse her with Nicole Kidman. She also confirmed that filming Iron Man involved significant waiting time, and she loved the specific, drawing-like costuming in The Royal Tenenbaums.

Paltrow’s Fantasy Career and 80s Fashion

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(00:37:41)

• Key Takeaway: If she were not an actress, Gwyneth Paltrow would pursue a career as a chef, and she observed that 1980s fashion involved dressing like 60-year-olds.
• Summary: Paltrow stated she would enjoy being a chef and running a small restaurant. She commented that when she was in her 20s during the 80s, people dressed very professionally, contrasting it with the current ‘grandma chic’ trend.

Enneagram Types and Shared Traits

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(00:42:16)

• Key Takeaway: Gwyneth Paltrow identifies as an Enneagram Eight with a Nine wing, aligning with Poehler’s preference for directness and challenging authority.
• Summary: Paltrow identified herself as an Enneagram One, but after questioning, she confirmed she is an Eight with a Nine wing, meaning she is a challenger who also values peace. This resonated with Poehler, who also prefers direct communication and dislikes when people approach issues sideways.

Health Routines: Sleep and Plunging

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(00:45:15)

• Key Takeaway: Paltrow’s sleep routine involves a non-negotiable nightly bath, eating dinner early (around 6 PM), and using mouth tape to address grinding.
• Summary: Regarding cold plunging, Paltrow suggests women should listen to their bodies and perhaps use slightly warmer water or shorter durations than men, though she continues to do it. She believes there is no one-size-fits-all solution for health due to varying genetics and tolerances.

SNL 50th Regret and Comedy

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(00:50:33)

• Key Takeaway: Paltrow regretted missing the SNL 50th anniversary event, noting that the comedy sketch performed by Ana Gasteyer and Will Forte involving singing Kendrick Lamar was a major win for ‘comedy kids.’
• Summary: Paltrow admitted skipping the SNL 50th event was a mistake due to her busy schedule. She praised a specific sketch where Ana Gasteyer and Will Forte had to quiet the audience after a major musical act, calling it committed, character-based sketch comedy.