Gwyneth Paltrow takes the stand: 'blended family' and Taylor Swift mention
The moment everyone has been waiting for in Gwyneth Paltrow's ski collision trial has arrived: the Oscar winner and wellness guru has taken the stand.
The movie star, 50, was questioned by the legal team for Terry Sanderson, who is seeking damages $300,000, and then her own attorney during the trial at Park City, Utah.
The retired optometrist, 76, claims the star left him with permanent brain injury following a ski incident in 2016, accusing her of "slamming" into him.
Paltrow, meanwhile has filed a counter-claim, and is seeking legal fees and damages of $1 (82p) for the alleged incident which took place in Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, in 2016.
Gwyneth Paltrow answered questions from her legal team and Mr Sanderson's while on the stand (Sky News)During her time on time the stand reiterated multiple times that she had been skied into from behind by Mr Sanderson.
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We have rounded up six things learnt so far from Paltrow's time on the stand.
Paltrow denied 'risky behaviour'
Ms Paltrow denied that she had been engaging in “risky behaviour” on the day of the collision.
“I was not engaging in any risky behaviour. I would not engage in risky behaviour with or without my children being there,” she said.
“I have always been open and honest with my kids, and they know me very well," she added.
Paltrow prepares to take the stand (Sky News)Paltrow momentarily thought collision was 'sexual assault'
Recalling the incident, Ms Paltrow said she "froze" when Dr Sanderson's skis came between hers, "forcing her legs apart."
“And then there was a body pressing against me and there was a very strange, grunting noise,” she said.
“My brain was trying to make sense of what was happening.”
“I thought, is this a practical joke? Is someone doing something perverted? This is very strange.”
Ms Paltrow clarified she was not accusing Mr Sanderson of sexual assault, explaining her brain was trying to make sense of what happened.
Actress is 'friendly' with Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift got a surprise mention in Gwyneth Paltrow's trial (Getty Images for TAS Rights Mana)Ms Paltrow denied that she was counterclaiming for one dollar because of a similar “symbolic” lawsuit brought by US pop star Taylor Swift.
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“I had not been familiar with it but I now am,” she said.
“It’s an actual dollar that I’m asking for. It’s symbolic because the damages would actually be more.”
Asked if she and Swift were friends, she replied: “I would not say we’re good friends, we are friendly… but we don’t talk very often.”
Paltrow says she feels sorry for Terry Sanderson
Paltrow said she feels sorry for Terry Sanderson (AP)Under examination from her attorney Stephen Owens, Ms Paltrow said she felt “very sorry” for Mr Sanderson.
“I really do feel very sorry for him,” she said.
“It seems like he’s had a very difficult life but I did not cause the accident so I cannot be at fault that subsequently happened to him.”
Paltrow 'devastated' by her death of her dad
Ms Paltrow spoke of how her dad, Bruce, taught her and her brother to ski, after he learnt later in life.
Ms Paltrow's dad died in his fifties, the court heard.
Paltrow said her dad Bruce had been keen on her learning to ski (Sky News)“I was pretty devastated by his death and being in a ski resort or on a chairlift was difficult for me and I avoided it for a few years until I had my own kids and I heard his voice in my head telling me I should teach them to ski,” she told the court.
Ski trip was a chance to 'blend' families with her husband
The Shakespeare in Love actress said her first husband, Coldplay singer Chris Martin did not ski, but she took up the sport once again with her now husband, Brad Falchuk.
Gwyneth with her husband Brad (Getty Images)She said: "This was a significant trip for us. It was the first time Brad and I were introducing our kids and doing something together to see if we could blend families."
The trial continues.
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