Gwyneth Paltrow talks about her 'post-baby nightmare' body
It took the prospect of working with Robert Downey Jr. in the new film Iron Man to lure Gwyneth Paltrow out of her maternity leave, and the actress says the role was well worth it — professionally as well as personally. Although she is grateful for the time she spent at home with daughter Apple, 3, and son Moses, 15 months, the award-winning actress felt the time was right to return to the big screen.
I did so many movies in my 20’s and it was amazing, but it was a lot, you know? It was a real blessing for me to get to have time off and have kids, and there was really a point where I thought, ‘I don’t know if I want to do this anymore.’
And then when Moses was about six months old, I really felt the desire coming back. Then I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to wait until he’s a year so he gets all my time for a year.’ And then maybe if people still remember me, there’ll be something for me. And luckily this came up and I started it just after he turned a year old.
It wasn’t so much about [getting] my life back, but it was about the…I mean, the artist in me that needed to be fed, you know? And because the months go by, the years go by, and you’re pureeing sweet potato and you’re like, ‘Okay.’ You think, ‘This is amazing,’ but there’s also a part of me that needs to survive and that’s important and I know how to do this. I think it’s about finding a balance.
It was great for me to have that break…I really needed that break and I’ve come back to the whole world with such an appreciation for it.
According to Gwyneth, having two kids in as many years left her with a ‘post-baby nightmare‘ of a body that needed re-vamping before she could play Virginia ‘Pepper’ Potts, the assistant to Robert’s superhero character in the film. She ultimately shed 15-pounds for the part.
I worked really, really hard. I had an amazing trainer and I worked out twice a day and did dance cardio and felt like a complete nerd and I just worked really hard. I got into shape. And there you go. I was ready to go.
Apple and Moses are Gwyneth’s children with husband Chris Martin.