Gwyneth Paltrow reflects on ski crash trial: 'It was something I felt like I survived

Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow is looking back at the 2023 ski crash trial with a sense of clarity, two years after winning the lawsuit filed by retired optometrist Terry Sanderson. Terry had accused the Goop founder of causing a 2016 ski accident that led to him sustaining injuries. In a candid conversation with Erin and Sara Foster on the World’s First Podcast, Gwyneth didn't hold back her thoughts on the entire legal battle, calling it "ridiculous."

She expressed frustration over the fact that someone could ski into her back, knock her down, and then file a lawsuit. “The idea that someone could ski into your back and knock you down and then sue you—I was like, ‘This is everything that’s wrong with our legal system,’” she said.

Gwyneth, who denied any wrongdoing, had countered the lawsuit by filing her own claim against Terry. She alleged that the retired optometrist was responsible for the collision and was attempting to exploit her celebrity status and wealth by falsely blaming her. Looking back, the 52-year-old reflected on the conviction that drove her to stand her ground in the case. “That’s why I felt like I had to fight it. I’m not gonna be shaken down here. I’m not doing that,” she shared on the podcast.

Ultimately, Gwyneth emerged victorious, with a jury ruling that Terry was completely at fault for the accident and awarding her a symbolic $1 in damages, which she had requested. After the verdict, a source close to the case revealed that Gwyneth approached Terry and said, “I wish you well.”

Despite the favorable verdict, Gwyneth admitted that the experience had left her shaken, describing the whole ordeal as "pretty intense." In an interview with the New York Times in September 2023, she described the trial as “pretty weird,” acknowledging that she hadn’t fully processed the experience yet. “It was something I felt like I survived,” she added, reflecting on the emotional toll the trial had taken on her.