Gwyneth Paltrow testifies in ski trial: I thought collision was sexual assault
Gwyneth Paltrow claimed that she initially thought the man who crashed into her during a 2016 skiing incident was trying to sexually assault her.
When the “Iron Man” actress took the stand on Friday, she explained her perspective of the accident.
She claimed that, initially, she had heard “a strange rustling noise” behind her as she skied at the Deer Valley Resort, per TMZ.
Paltrow then stated that she “froze” and became “upset” when the skier — who was later to be revealed as Dr. Terry Sanderson — came up from behind and pushed his skis between her legs.
“I was skiing and two skis came between my skis, forcing my legs apart,” she detailed. “And then there was a body pressing against me.”
After the Goop founder, 50, alleged that she thought she was being sexually assaulted, Sanderson’s attorney, Kristin VanOrman, pushed back on her statement.
“Was he grinding or thrusting?” she asked. “What made you think it was a sexual assault?”
Paltrow simply said that “it was a quick thought that went through my head,” adding, “There was a strange grunting noise and a body behind me so I was trying to make sense of what was going on. My mind was going very quickly.”
VanOrman also asked if Paltrow could act out her description of the incident, however, the idea was axed after the actress’ attorney objected.
Back in January 2019, Sanderson filed a lawsuit against Paltrow, claiming that she had been skiing “out of control” on Feb. 26, 2016, when she ran into him and left him alone to tend to his injuries.
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He alleged at the time that the “Shallow Hal” star was distracted and going too fast, “knocking him down hard, knocking him out, and causing a brain injury, four broken ribs and other serious injuries.”
Sanderson then claimed that Paltrow simply “got up, turned and skied away.”
Paltrow’s rep slammed the suit, telling us at the time that it was “completely without merit.”
He added, “Anyone who reads the facts will realize that.”
The following month, Paltrow filed a countersuit against Sanderson, alleging that she was the one injured and not the Army doctor.
During the opening statements of the trial, the Academy Award winner’s attorney painted Sanderon as someone who was desperate for fame and money.
However, Sanderson’s attorney, Lawrence D. Buhler, told jurors that Paltrow was “reckless” and knew that “looking up the mountain and to the side, while skiing down the mountain, was dangerous.”
Sanderson is seeking $300,000 in damages from the actress in his negligence suit. He originally asked for $3.1 million, but, last year, a judge ruled that he was not entitled to punitive damages.
Paltrow is seeking a meager $1 in damages in addition to Sanderson covering her legal expenses.
Her two children, Apple, 18, and Moses, 16, and her now-husband, Brad Falchuk, 52, are all expected to take the stand during the eight-day trial in Utah.
