Gwyneth Paltrow Trial—Five Wildest Moments So Far as Lawyer Steals the Show

Gwyneth Paltrow's ski collision lawsuit has provided the internet with some surprisingly amusing moments.

The Oscar-winning actress has been accused of causing severe injuries to a retired optometrist, 76-year-old Terry Sanderson, who claims she skied into the back of him on a Utah ski slope.

He's claiming $300,000 worth of damages for injuries he sustained, while Paltrow claims the accident was his fault, and has countersued for a symbolic $1 plus legal fees. The alleged collision occurred in 2016 at the Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, and both parties began their legal proceedings in 2019.

The case has been running for a number of days now at the Third Judicial District Court in Park City. Photographs and clips from the trial have surprised and delighted social media users, with many moments going viral.

1. Gwyneth Paltrow's Day in Court

Days before Gwyneth Paltrow took the stand in court, her outfit choices were being analyzed by social media users.

It was called "the Whitest trial of all time" by The Daily Show head writer Dan Amira, when she arrived wearing a cream turtle neck sweater. Observing her choice of eye wear, others asked why she chose to go wearing "Jeffrey Dahmer's" spectacles?

2. Missing GoPro Footage

When highlighting the actual details of the trial, Paltrow's attorney Steve Owens called out "the most important piece of evidence" — missing GoPro camera footage.

As there are no witnesses available who saw the whole incident, and no security camera footage from the Deer Valley Resort, there's currently no evidence available to firmly show what happened when Paltrow and Sanderson collided on the ski slopes.

A link to GoPro footage was available, according to an email exchange between Sanderson and his family, but the link and footage have disappeared. "It looks like it's somewhere out there in the cybersphere," Sanderson's daughter, Polly Grasham, testified.

3. "May I Ask How Tall You Are?"

Another viral moment came when Paltrow finally took the stand on Friday, March 24. Facing a potential grilling from the plaintiff's legal team, viewers were surprised to see a flurry of softball questions thrown toward the actress.

"May I ask how tall you are?" Sanderson's attorney Kristin VanOrman asked as an exchange that went viral began.

"I'm just under 5'10"," Paltrow said.

"Ok, I am so jealous," VanOrman replied.

"I think I'm shrinking though," Paltrow continued.

"You and me both. I have to wear these 4" heels just to make it to 5'5"," VanOrman said.

"Well, they're very nice," Paltrow complimented VanOrman, who quickly thanked her.

This was all as Paltrow was in the witness box being questioned by the opposing side's attorneys.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow Thought She Was Being Sexually Assaulted

While it took a few days for Paltrow to finally have her turn on the stand, she stood firm in denying any blame for the collision between herself and Sanderson. While his account of events had Paltrow skiing into the back of him, causing him harm, Paltrow says that from her point of view, it was the opposite.

Bewildered by what was happening to her at first, she admitted she even considered the fact that she was being sexually assaulted when she was crashed into.

"I was confused at first and I didn't know exactly what was happening," she said.

She said she got up off the ground a few second later. Paltrow added: "[I thought] is this a practical joke? Is someone doing something perverted?... my mind was going very quickly and trying to ascertain what was happening."

I was skiing and two skis came between my skis, forcing my legs apart." She continued, "And then there was a body pressing against me."

VanOrman asked if the man was grinding or thrusting. "What made you think it was a sexual assault?"

Paltrow replied: "It was a quick thought that went through my head. There was a strange grunting noise and a body behind me so I was trying to make sense of what was going on."

5. Gwyneth Paltrow's Tipping Habits

Continuing her line of amusing and jovial questions toward the defendant, VanOrman asked Paltrow about being a generous tipper.

The exchange, when collated together with a number of other charming tidbits, was viewed by over 2 million people online.

"Now I'm assuming, and you're under oath here, that you're a good tipper?" VanOrman asked.

Paltrow laughed as she replied, "Yes."

"Fantastic, I wouldn't expect anything less."

The exchange was retweeted and commented on thousands of times online. Influencer Matt Bernstein summed up the mood of the internet, writing: "Frankly I don't want this trial to ever end."