Here's What Gwyneth Paltrow Said to Man Who Sued Her After Ski Crash Verdict Was Revealed
The last day of Gwyneth Paltrow's ski crash trial has the internet buzzing—but not in the way you'd think.
On March 30, a jury in Park City, Utah, found Terry Sanderson "100 percent" at fault for a 2016 skiing accident involving himself and the Goop mogul. After Paltrow—who denied Sanderson's claim that she had skiied into him in a countersuit—was told that she could leave the courtroom following the verdict, the 50-year-old got up from her seat, crossed behind the retired optometrist on her way to the door and leaned in to whisper something in his ear.
The brief exchange quickly went viral on social media, with many making memes to speculate what was said.
So, what did Paltrow tell Sanderson? A source on site told E! News the Oscar winner said, "I wish you well."
And shortly after her exit, Paltrow released a statement to E! News with her thoughts on her legal victory. "I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity," she said. "I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case."
Her attorney, Steve Owens, added in a separate statement, "We are pleased with this unanimous outcome and appreciate the judge and jury's thoughtful handling of the case. Gwyneth has a history of advocating for what she believes in—this situation was no different and she will continue to stand up for what is right."
In addition to finding that Paltrow had no fault in the ski accident, the jury awarded the Oscar winner $1 in damages—which is what she had asked for in her countersuit against the 76-year-old.
Sanderson first sued Paltrow in 2019, alleging in court documents obtained by E! News that she skied into him on a beginner-level slope at Deer Valley Resort in Utah. In his filing, Sanderson said he suffered a brain injury, four broken ribs and other injuries, as well as "severe psychological problems including fear, anxiety and depression," as a result of the collision.
Paltrow countersued Sanderson a month later, claiming that he was the one who "plowed into her back" and "blamed her for it in an attempt to exploit her celebrity and wealth."
Their eight-day trial saw witnesses called by both sides, including a ski instructor who was skiing with Paltrow's family at the time of the crash. Though the actress' daughter Apple, 18, and son Moses, 16—who she shares with ex Chris Martin—were initially scheduled to take the stand, their depositions were read aloud verbatim instead after scheduling conflicts prevented them from appearing in court.
"I noticed that she looked a bit shocked," Apple recalled of her mom following the collision in her deposition. "And I asked what had happened and she said, 'This a-hole ran into me. He ran right into my back.'"
The teen added, "She was in a state of shock, and she decided after that she was not going to ski for the rest of the day, which she never does. She always stays on. But she decided to get off because she was in shock and she was in a bit of pain."
In her own testimony, Paltrow said the ski trip was a significant one for her children and now-husband Brad Falchuk, who has two kids of his own from a past relationship. As she explained, "[This] was the first time Brad and I were introducing our kids and doing something together as to see if we could blend families."
E! News has reached out to Sanderson's attorney for comment but hasn't heard back.
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