Gwyneth Paltrow says she was too self-conscious early on in her career to go ahead with an intimate scene, admitting she worried about how her family would react. Paltrow recalled turning down an intimate scene with Ethan Hawke in Great Expectations, saying she relied on her instincts at a time when conversations around on-screen intimacy were limited. The actor noted that her hesitation stemmed from early-career uncertainty, adding that her outlook has since changed with growing confidence.

Paltrow and Hawke revisited the 1998 screen adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel directed by Alfonso Cuarón in a recent video conversation. As reported by People, Hawke asked Paltrow if she remembered Cuarón suggesting a love scene between their characters. "Oh, my God," Paltrow responded, before describing the director's detailed vision for the sequence, which she said involved the camera moving across her body and ending on her face with a burst of light "like a sun".

Hawke said he laughed at Paltrow's reaction, recalling her telling the director, "Alfonso, I'm never going to do that." Paltrow explained that the proposal made her uneasy, as she was still at a formative stage in her career. "I thought, 'Oh, my God, my father's going to have a heart attack,'" she said, adding that the idea of her father and grandfather watching the scene made her deeply uncomfortable.

Paltrow said her outlook has changed over the years, noting that she would approach the situation differently today. Now, I wouldn’t care,” she said, adding that she feels far more confident. Hawke praised her composure at the time, saying she had a clear understanding of how images are perceived. “You knew what it meant—not just for you, but for your dad,” he said, adding that she was firm without being confrontational. Reflecting on the episode, Paltrow wondered if she had been “too prudish”, a suggestion Hawke dismissed. “I don’t think you were,” he said. Paltrow agreed that caution informed her decision.

Gwyneth Paltrow has returned to acting with Marty Supreme (2025) while continuing to expand her lifestyle brand Goop and its fashion ventures. She has upcoming projects, including Miracle on 74th Street (2025) and Johnny's Inferno (2026). Paltrow has hinted strongly at returning as Pepper Potts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.