How a 'Toxic' Madonna Meltdown Ended Her Friendship with Gwyneth Paltrow: 'She's Awful'
Once the reigning queens of the London social scene, and were the definition of A-list best friends. Their bond, forged in the late 1990s, was built on shared passions for yoga, Kabbalah, and macrobiotic diets. They were so intertwined that they even shared the same personal trainer, Tracy Anderson, launching her to global fame.
Paltrow once referred to the pop icon as an older sister, a guiding force in her life. However, a new biography claims this seemingly unbreakable bond didn't just fade away—it imploded during a tense island vacation.
According to the new book, Gwyneth: The Biography, by author Amy Odell, the friendship came to a dramatic and abrupt end over Madonna's alleged behavior. The book, excerpted by PEOPLE, pinpoints a confrontation that became the final straw for Paltrow and her then-husband, .
'Their relationship reached a breaking point when Madonna showed up to an island where Gwyneth and Martin were vacationing," Odell writes. "Madonna seemed to know that Gwyneth would be there, which Gwyneth seemed to find strange.'
The awkward surprise visit reportedly escalated during a group meal. 'Madonna then insisted Gwyneth and Martin join her for a big group dinner at a long table where Madonna went off on her daughter, ," the book continues. The scene left the couple deeply unsettled. "Gwyneth and Martin were disgusted by the behavior. 'I can't be around this woman any more,' Martin told Gwyneth. 'She's awful.' Gwyneth agreed that Madonna was toxic and ended the friendship.'
The explosive account of the friendship's demise shines light on Paltrow's past comments about Madonna. In a 2010 interview with British Vogue, the Oscar winner said, 'Yeah, it's good that [Tracy] doesn't train Madonna any more. It was too much,' she said at the time. 'She keeps people waiting — it takes up your whole day.'
While representatives for Paltrow and Madonna have not commented on the book's allegations, the story paints a vivid picture of a powerful friendship's shocking conclusion.
Gwyneth: The Biography hits shelves on July 29.
How a 'Toxic' Madonna Meltdown Ended Her Friendship with Gwyneth Paltrow: 'She's Awful' first appeared on Parade on Jul 17, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
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