Summary
- Gwyneth Paltrow's parents approved of Brad Pitt and saw him as a son, but thought Ben Affleck wasn't in a good place for a girlfriend.
- Paltrow learned valuable lessons about herself from her relationships with Affleck and Pitt.
- Paltrow and Affleck had a different value system, while her relationship with Pitt ended because she wasn't ready and he deserved better.
Gwyneth Paltrow has been involved in her fair share of high-profile romances. Two of the biggest were Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck. While neither relationship made it the distance, both proved to be beneficial to Paltrow in that she learned a little something from both. As a result of seeing what it was she did and did not want from a relationship, Paltrow was able to go on and marry first, Chris Martin, who the Shakespeare In Love star was with for 13 years, and then Brad Falchuk, who initially questioned her marriage to after his divorce from his first wife stalled, who she has been married to since 2018.
While Paltrow's parents were both able to give their blessings about being married to Martin, it was Blythe Danner who was only able to give her blessing about Falchuk after Bruce Paltrow passed away. However, when it came to Pitt and Affleck, both Blythe and Bruce had strong opinions about Paltrow's beaus. While they were supportive of their daughter and who she wanted to date, that did not mean they were not vocal about how they felt about each man. And those opinions likely played into the longevity of each relationship that was a part of Paltrow's formative years when she was a rising star.
Gwyneth Paltrow's Parents Were 'OK' With Her Breakup From Ben Affleck
Dating Affleck was something that Paltrow referred to as a "lesson." This was not because Affleck did anything to Paltrow during their relationship that left them on bad terms. Instead, it was something from The Politician star's past that she was trying to move past that made her get into and stay in the relationship for as long as Paltrow did.
"It’s interesting, I think there’s certain boyfriends where you are trying to work stuff out, right?" Paltrow explained. "Like, you’re trying to heal certain stuff from your childhood and he was very much a lesson in that way."
Paltrow went on to say, "I’m not sure exactly what I was trying to heal in that instance, but it was…he was, you know, it was specific."
When it came to how Paltrow's parents felt about Affleck, they were not exactly heartbroken when the three-year relationship ended. But, they did have respect for the Argo star when he was involved with Paltrow.
"They appreciated how he’s super intelligent and he’s really, really talented and he’s funny," Paltrow stated. "But he wasn’t in a good place in his life to have a girlfriend. I think they were OK — they loved him but they were OK with us not being [together]."
While Paltrow has never spoken about why she and Affleck have broken up, there are bits and pieces that have come out over the years. Some of those reasons have to do with how each lived their lives when they were a couple.
Gwyneth Paltrow And Ben Affleck Had A 'Different Value System'
In every interview Paltrow gave in the months and years after she and Affleck broke up, she was asked why the relationship came to an end. While specifics were never given, the Avengers: End Game actor did make a statement that spoke volumes about why the relationship did not last longer than it did.
"Ben makes life tough for himself," Paltrow explained. "He's got a lot of complication, and you know, he really is a great guy. So I hope he sorts himself out."
Paltrow went on to state, "I just think we have a very different sort of value system." And because of this, there was never any expectation on Paltrow's part that the two would wind up getting married. The same of which could not be said for Pitt.
Gwyneth Paltrow's Parents Liked Brad Pitt Better Than Ben Affleck
Someone would be hard-pressed to find something they did not like about Pitt. And that goes for Blythe and Bruce, who were "devastated" when Paltrow and Pitt decided to end their engagement permanently.
"I definitely fell in love with him," Paltrow explained. "He was so gorgeous and sweet. I mean, he was Brad Pitt."
Paltrow's parents fell equally in love with Pitt. They even went as far as to see him as a son before he was a part of the family.
"My father was so devastated when we broke up," Paltrow said. "My father loved him like a son." As upset as Paltrow's parents were about the relationship being over, it appears that it was Paltrow that brought the relationship to a close, not Pitt.
"I was such a kid. I was 22 when we met," Paltrow stated. "It's taken me until 40 to get my head out of my a**. You can't make that decision when you're 22 years old... I wasn't ready and he was too good for me... I didn't know what I was doing."
While Paltrow is on good terms with both of her exes today, it took a while to reach that point. For Affleck, it was because he had to work through his own demons, and for Pitt, it was because of how long it took Paltrow to get over him even though it was reportedly her idea to call things off.
Despite what happened in the past, it is clear that regardless of whether a person is Hollywood royalty or not, their parents will always have a favorite when it comes to relationships and dating.
It just so happens that Paltrow appears to have dodged some serious tabloid fodder by ending her relationships with Pitt, who now is embroiled in a divorce and being labeled as the next Johnny Depp to his own Amber Heard, and Affleck who has strict rules to follow at home thanks to his current wife, when she did.
