'Conscious uncoupling': Gwyneth Paltrow brags about making divorces 'easier' after amicable Chris Martin split
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gwyneth Paltrow says her acceptance of 'conscious uncoupling' might have made divorce 'easier' for other people. In a Q&A on her Instagram story, the 50-year-old actress explained why she used the phrase in her 2014 post announcing her split from the 46-year-old Coldplay frontman in 2014.
Following her amicable divorce from her ex-husband Chris Martin, the founder of 'Goop' responded to how she felt about "being credited for coining the phrase unconscious coupling" while wearing no makeup and a black crew neck sweater. Coldplay's vocalist, 46, and Paltrow married in 2003, and their divorce was finally formalized in 2015. They share two children Moses, 17, and Apple, 18.
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'Proud to make some divorces bit easier'
The phrase gained notoriety after the Oscar winner used it as the title of a post on her wellness website in March 2014 in which she announced that she and Martin were divorcing. On her Friday, April 28, Instagram stories, the actor and lifestyle tycoon answered anonymous questions. "How do you feel about being credited for coining the phrase ‘conscious uncoupling’?" someone once inquired.
Paltrow replied, "I definitely did not coin the phrase, but I feel despite us taking quite a lot of s--- for it when we first announced that all these years ago, I feel very proud that we were able to, maybe, make some divorces a little bit easier, happier," as per the Daily Mail.
'Goop' published an explanation of the phrase, which was initially used by relationship coach Katherine Woodward in 2009. When strangers approach me on the street and say, "It makes me feel pretty proud when people come up to me on the streets and say, 'Thank you for introducing that concept because I've become good friends with my ex' I'm very happy that we were able to play a small part in that cultural shift," the 'Contagion' star added.
What is 'conscious uncoupling'?
The 'Goop' article delves into the word by stating that when the "whole concept of marriage and divorce is reexamined, there's actually something far more powerful—and positive—at play." She goes on to say, "By choosing to handle your uncoupling in a conscious way, regardless of what's happening with your spouse, you'll see that although it looks like everything is coming apart; it's actually all coming back together."
Paltrow mentioned the phrase's use in a March 2019 interview with Dax Shepard on his podcast 'Armchair Expert,' saying she wished there was a "way to circumvent [pain of divorce] and go directly to the point where we're friends, and we remember what we loved about each other, and constantly acknowledge that we created these incredible human beings together." "We're a family, that's it," she continued, "We can pretend we're not and hate each other… or, [we can] try to reinvent this for ourselves."
Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow remain friendly after split
Paltrow and Martin's cordial post-divorce relationship served as an example of how to keep the friendship going even when the romance ended. In 2002, the founder of Goop met Martin while Coldplay was on tour in Los Angeles. Paltrow recounted their unusual meeting in April 2013.
After dating for a year, the couple got married in December 2003. The couple welcomed their son, Moses, in 2006 after welcoming their daughter, Apple, in 2004. Despite a fairy tale starts to their relationship, Paltrow later felt that her connection to Martin had shifted. When she and Martin traveled to Italy in 2010, four years before they announced their divorce, Paltrow said that's when she had the epiphany.
In a blog post titled 'Conscious Uncoupling' on her Goop website, Paltrow declared her separation from Martin in 2014. The actress said in an essay for British Vogue that she doesn't regret using the word because it captured her sentiments regarding the split.
Paltrow claimed to the Evening Standard that she and Martin have "managed to really stay a family" despite ceasing to be romantically together. She remarked then, "Chris is a very close friend. I see him every day, I talk to him every day. And it was very difficult, but I think you see in the children that they got through it, so I am proud of us, I really am. We kept to our commitment that we would put the children first."
According to a source who spoke to US Weekly in August 2019, after the couple's brief separation in June of that year, Paltrow "pushed" Martin to make amends with his girlfriend Dakota Johnson. The source then said, "Gwyneth is happy if Chris is happy. She only wants the best for him."
Together, they celebrate their daughter's graduation. In June 2022, the 'Shakespeare in Love' actress shared a selfie with Martin and their daughter Apple, then 18 years old, on Instagram Story, writing, "Congratulations to all of the graduates especially @applemartin 💜."
'The Politician' actress sent her ex a heartfelt birthday message on Instagram on March 2, "Happy birthday to the sweetest father and friend❤️we love you, calm."
While co-parenting their children, Paltrow and Martin have both found happiness in new relationships. In 2018, the 'Shakespeare in Love' star wed the 52-year-old author and producer Brad Falchuk. The Coldplay singer and the 33-year-old actress Dakota Johnson have been dating for almost five years.
