All that for a dollar?
Nah, B次元官网网址檚 motivation to go to trial to fight a lawsuit accusing her of sending a fellow skier B次元官网网址渁bsolutely flyingB次元官网网址� at a posh in 2016 was about vindication.
She got it when a jury found her not at fault in the collision, granting her exactly the $1 she sought in her countersuit. As a court reporter read the verdict, the courtroom gallery made up mostly of her supporters exhaled while Paltrow sat next to her lawyer intently and avoided displaying emotion that could be interpreted as surprise or gloating.
She might have come out ahead in the court of public opinion, too, Hollywood lawyers and publicists say.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not often that you go through the whole expense and time and bother of litigation for a dollar,B次元官网网址� said Tre Lovell, a Los Angeles lawyer who handles many celebrity cases. B次元官网网址淏ut she wanted to turn this into a positive as a way of saying B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 not going to get taken advantage of,B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 a good person.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
The actor-turned-influencer avoided engaging in any memorable missteps during the eight-day trial that she attended every day as viewers in Park City, Utah, and around the world watched closely. She even ended things on a classy note when she stopped before leaving court to lean over and put her hands on her accuserB次元官网网址檚 shoulder to wish him best of luck.
B次元官网网址淪he came across on the stand very well,B次元官网网址� said Emily D. Baker, legal analyst and former Los Angeles deputy district attorney. B次元官网网址淪he was personable, she was firm, but she wasnB次元官网网址檛 ever aggressive. And it actually came across that she had empathy for what this plaintiff has gone through.B次元官网网址�
When 76-year-old filed the lawsuit in 2019, it was the kind of case that seemed to scream for the quick, confidential settlement typical in lawsuits against celebrities. Instead, it endured for four years through trial.
B次元官网网址淚 felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity,B次元官网网址� Paltrow posted to her 8.3 million followers after the verdict.
Sanderson himself questioned afterward whether the lawsuit was worth it and said he believed that people tend to naturally trust celebrities like Paltrow.
Holly Baird, a publicist who handles major celebrity crises including many court cases, says that while trials have potential downsides, there is no reason for famous people to avoid them at all costs.
B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 see this being a downfall for her,B次元官网网址� Baird said. B次元官网网址淭his isnB次元官网网址檛 like a murder case or anything. It humanizes her. People have similar stories.B次元官网网址�
There were moments of potential pitfall, as when about damages by saying she B次元官网网址渉ad lost half a day of skiing,B次元官网网址� acknowledged paying nearly $9,000 for her then-small kidsB次元官网网址� skiing instruction and explained why she let her ski instructor stay behind to check on Sanderson and exchange information. As he waited to be tobogganed down the mountain by ski patrol, she followed her children Moses and Apple down the mountain, testifying that she was accustomed to having things done for her.
But the honest answer may not have done her damage.
B次元官网网址淭hey live in a different world and it becomes their normal, but people are going to assume that,B次元官网网址� Lovell said. B次元官网网址淵ou can have that and people are going to know it and accept. YouB次元官网网址檝e just got to come across as humble.B次元官网网址�
Baird agreed.
B次元官网网址淚 think she was authentic,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 with her children, sheB次元官网网址檚 worried about them.B次元官网网址�
The jury apparently found Paltrow likeable enough, returning after just 2 1/2 hours to give her a resounding win that blamed the collision 100% on Sanderson.
His lawsuit had sought B次元官网网址渕ore than $300,000, though in closing arguments, his attorneys estimated as more than $3.2 million.
Trial lawyers are known to regularly engage in seemingly friendly repartee with witnesses to try and cultivate sympathy among the jury. But many observers thought SandersonB次元官网网址檚 attorney Kristin VanOrman did the actor a major favor when she at times appeared charmed by Paltrow when she was on the stand.
When VanOrman asked her height and she responded B次元官网网址渏ust under 5B次元官网网址�10B次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� VanOrman replied, B次元官网网址淚 am so jealous! I think IB次元官网网址檓 shrinking. I have to wear heels just to make it to 5B次元官网网址�5B次元官网网址�.B次元官网网址�
VanOrmanB次元官网网址檚 efforts to flag for the jury that Paltrow was larger than the man she collided with were overshadowed when the actor said back: B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e very nice.B次元官网网址�
Lovell said it was so B次元官网网址渂izarre and ineffectiveB次元官网网址� that he thought VanOrman was PaltrowB次元官网网址檚 attorney when he first tuned in.
B次元官网网址淭hat was ridiculous,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he jury sees that and thinks she must not be that bad if the opposing attorney likes her. She seemed star struck.B次元官网网址�
Once among the most ubiquitous leading women in Hollywood, has taken fewer and fewer roles in recent years. Many now identify her more with her wellness-and-lifestyle company in some quarters as the quintessential out-of-touch peddler of celebrity woo-woo.
But that also makes Paltrow her own boss, who is not beholden to others for work, and has brought her a devoted set of customer-fans.
B次元官网网址淕wyneth has such a cult following in the lifestyle and wellness brand, and people love to see another side of their life like this,B次元官网网址� Baird said. B次元官网网址淚 think her PR team should be using it. SheB次元官网网址檚 getting way more TV time than she would any other way.B次元官网网址�
PaltrowB次元官网网址檚 fight to clear her name resonated with many of her fans, including those who braved blizzards to fill the gallery of the Park City courtroom for two weeks.
B次元官网网址淲hen you are a celebrity you know that youB次元官网网址檙e going to get some of this, but that was totally over the top,B次元官网网址� said Ann Malcolm, a Park City local who enjoys skiing at Deer Valley, the mountain where Paltrow and Sanderson crashed.
A crowd made up of locals and some who traveled from California to catch a glimpse of the trial snapped selfies, showed each other mockups of t-shirts that read B次元官网网址�#GwynnocentB次元官网网址� and commended Paltrow for being both gracious and fighting to clear her name.
B次元官网网址淗e thought it would be an easy payday,B次元官网网址� said David Madow, a retired dentist and avid skier who attended multiple days of court proceedings. B次元官网网址淚 was impressed with the fact that she said B次元官网网址橬o, IB次元官网网址檓 not gonna do that.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擜ndrew Dalton And Sam Metz, The Associated Press
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