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Gwyneth Paltrow is finally breaking her silence about the headline-grabbing ski collision lawsuit that played out in 2023—and she isn’t mincing words. Two years after being found not liable, the Oscar-winning actress and wellness mogul is sharing her side of the story and using her platform to call out what she sees as serious flaws in the American legal system.
Appearing on The World’s First Podcast with Erin and Sara Foster, Paltrow spoke candidly about the civil case that stemmed from a 2016 skiing accident at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort. Retired optometrist Dr. Terry Sanderson had accused Paltrow of crashing into him from behind on the slopes and then allegedly skiing away without offering help.
Paltrow, however, has always maintained that it was Sanderson who collided with her. Reflecting on the ordeal, she said, “The idea that someone could ski into your back and knock you down and then sue you… I was like, ‘This is everything that’s wrong with our legal system.’” She went on to call the entire experience “ridiculous” and said she refused to back down simply because of her public profile. “I’m not going to be shaken down here,” she declared.
Initially, Sanderson filed a lawsuit seeking $3.1 million in damages, though he later reduced his claim to $300,000. Paltrow, in a firm show of defiance, countersued for a symbolic $1 plus legal fees.
After eight days in court, filled with viral soundbites and intense media attention, the Utah jury sided with Paltrow. In a statement following the verdict, she said she felt that giving in to a false claim would have compromised her integrity. “I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury.”
Her attorney, Stephen Owens, summed up their defense bluntly during closing arguments: “He hit her, he hurt her, and he’s not entitled to be rewarded for hurting her.” He also claimed Paltrow had been treated like a “punching bag” throughout the case.
Now that the dust has settled, Paltrow is using the moment to shed light on a broader issue—how public figures can be targeted with questionable lawsuits that snowball into high-profile media spectacles. For her, the case wasn’t about financial damages; it was about standing up for the truth and pushing back against what she sees as a flawed system.