Gwyneth Paltrow reflects on ‘Shakespeare in Love’ Oscar win over ‘Saving Private Ryan’

WASHINGTON: Actor Gwyneth Paltrow has opened up about the controversy surrounding ‘Shakespeare in Love’ winning Best Picture over ‘Saving Private Ryan’ at the 71st Academy Awards, a decision that remains one of the most debated moments in Oscar history, according to People.

Speaking on The Awardist podcast, Paltrow, 53, reflected on the 1998-1999 awards season, which saw her win the Oscar for Best Actress for Shakespeare in Love. The film also claimed the Best Picture award, defeating Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg is also Paltrow’s godfather.

When asked whether she had ever discussed the outcome with Spielberg, Paltrow said, “Well, it was so funny because Steven won for director and I won Best Actress. And Steven has been at this rodeo for a very long time, and even 25 years ago had already been at the rodeo a very long time.”

She added that she does not place excessive weight on awards, noting that many deserving works go unrecognised. “We never know why one thing wins over the next,” she said.

Gwyneth Paltrow says winning the Academy Award for “Shakespeare in Love” felt like “something immense had just happened”:

“There was this massive energetic shift, and it was very overwhelming. I was only 26. If I could go back and talk to myself at that age, I would just say,… pic.twitter.com/odrAt011Lm

— Variety (@Variety) December 9, 2025

Referring to the 2017 Oscars mix-up, when Moonlight won Best Picture after La La Land was mistakenly announced, Paltrow said, “You know what? Both of those could have won.”

She added that awards also serve a commercial function within the film industry. “I think awards are designed, yes, to acknowledge people’s amazing achievements, but it’s also a monetisation tool for a broader industry,” she said. “Even being in the conversation is an honour.”

Paltrow further reflected on how art often invites debate. “I think there’s always discourse around what people like and don’t like because art is subjective. That’s the point of it,” she said.

Shakespeare in Love later became known for one of the most controversial Oscar campaigns in Hollywood history, with disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein accused of employing aggressive tactics to influence awards voting. In 2017, Vanity Fair wrote that Weinstein’s campaign changed how Oscar races were run, adding that revisiting the 1999 ceremony after the revelations about him made the campaign deeply troubling, according to People.

Paltrow said she now keeps her Oscar on display, after previously storing it away. “I think I had a bit of healing to do, in terms of how I held that, everything that happened, and happened after,” she said, calling the experience “a lot to metabolise.”

The ‘Marty Supreme’ star also shared that she recently rewatched Shakespeare in Love and gained a renewed appreciation for the film. “It took 25 years to come to terms with it,” she said, adding that the moment was “pivotal” in her life. “I think it was just a lot to hold as a 26-year-old,” according to People. (ANI)