Gwyneth Paltrow Opens Up About Her Challenging Journey as a Stepmom: ‘The Path to Here Was Really Rough’

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If you’re struggling as a stepparent, Gwyneth Paltrow wants you to know you aren’t alone. She recently opened up about her difficult path to developing a good relationship with her husband Brad Falchuk’s kids, and it’s such an encouraging take.

Things Didn’t Start Easy

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 06: Nicole Avant and Gwyneth Paltrow attend the Visionary Women's International Women's Day Summit at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on March 06, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Visionary Women)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 06: Nicole Avant and Gwyneth Paltrow attend the Visionary Women’s International Women’s Day Summit at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on March 06, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Visionary Women)

At the Visionary Women’s International Day Summit at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the Goop founder asked if there were any stepmoms in the audience, per Page Six. “Yeah, it’s a b*tch, right, guys?” she said. “No, I actually, I really like to talk about this because it’s one of my biggest learnings as a human being.”

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“And my area of growth personally came from the initial difficult relationship I had with my step kids and now they’re like my kids,” she shared.

Shine Like the Sun

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 04: Brad Falchuk and Gwyneth Paltrow attend the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "The Brothers Sun" at Netflix Tudum Theater on January 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 04: Brad Falchuk and Gwyneth Paltrow attend the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix’s “The Brothers Sun” at Netflix Tudum Theater on January 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)

The Glee creator is dad to two kids, Isabella, 19, and Brody, 17, with ex-wife Suzanne Bukinik. Paltrow became a stepmom to them when she and Falchuk got married in 2018. The Shakespeare in Love star admitted to how challenging it was to build a relationship with the kids.

“The path to here was really rough,” she said. “It’s almost like you have to embody the spirit of the sun and just give and not expect anything back. I just learned to try to just keep shining like the sun and never keeping score.”

That’s actually such a sweet example, and we love how honest she is with everything.

Happily Ever After

PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 23: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY - For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) Gwyneth Paltrow attends the Giorgio Armani Privé Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week  on January 23, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – JANUARY 23: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY – For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) Gwyneth Paltrow attends the Giorgio Armani Privé Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 23, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

In a Nov. 2023 interview with PEOPLE, Paltrow shed some more light onto the challenges of being a stepmom. “It’s hard, and it’s not intuitive, and nobody tells you how to do it. You just stick with it,” she said. “Now it’s one of the things that brings me the most happiness in my life.”

Dakota Johnson’s Feelings on Her Stepkids

US actress Dakota Johnson arrives for the premiere of Sony's "Madame Web" in Los Angeles, California, on February 12, 2024. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
US actress Dakota Johnson arrives for the premiere of Sony’s “Madame Web” in Los Angeles, California, on February 12, 2024. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Another person who can relate to the stepmom life? Dakota Johnson! The Madame Web actress has been dating Coldplay frontman Chris Martin for six years, who is dad to kids Apple, 19, and Moses, 17, with ex-wife Paltrow. “I love those kids like my life depends on it. With all my heart,” she gushed about her relationship with her stepkids in an interview with Bustle.

It seems like this blended family is doing wonderfully!

Before you go, check out these celebs who are close with their stepkids.

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