Born: September 27, 1972

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Occupation: Actress

Relatives: Daughter of actress Blythe Danner and filmmaker Bruce Paltrow

Love Interests: Ex-fiancée, actor Brad Pitt; dated Ben Affleck

Sign: Sun in Libra, Moon in Scorpio

Education: Attended University of California at Santa Barbara

Biography: Gwyneth has emerged as one of the hottest actresses in Hollywood over the past few years and her performance in the Jane Austen adaptation Emma in 1996 certainly had the critics' heads turning. The 23 year-old has gone from being famous only as Brad Pitt's ex-girlfriend to being as equally sought after. Gwyneth Kate Paltrow was born in Los Angeles on September 27, 1972 into a family that is no stranger to the entertainment business. Her father Bruce Paltrow is a renowned television producer, with such programmes as St Elsewhere and "The White Shadow", while her mother is award-winning actress Blythe Danner.

The family moved to New York when Gwyneth was 11 years old and she later went on to graduate from the prestigious Spense School before moving back to the West Coast with the intention of studying Art History at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Despite her father's advice to continue her studies, Gwyneth left university to pursue an career in acting which began with a moving performance in the Williamstown Theatre production of Picnic where she starred alongside her mother.

An audition for Shout opposite John Travolta followed as well as a part in Steven Spielberg's Hook. When she was asked to audition for Flesh & Bone, the film that really launched her career, Paltrow was still leaning towards a stage career with a part in the Broadway production of The Sisters Rosensweig in the offing.

Her mainstream appeal began when she and Brad Pitt met on the set of Seven. Her relatively small role in one of the decade's finest films received enormous publicity mainly because of the love interest with Pitt but since then, Gwyneth has been emerging fast from her ex-boyfriend's shadow. Understated roles in The Pallbearer and Moonlight & Valentino preceded a truly magnificent performance in Emma in which she displayed a flawless English accent and a lovely comic instinct. Now living in New York Gwyneth's career goes from strength to strength. Roles in Hard Eight, Kilronian, The Avengers and Great Expectations are all on the way so you can expect to see lots more from Miss Paltrow in the near future.

Quote: "My playground was the theatre. I'd sit and watch my mother pretend for a living. As a young girl, that's pretty seductive." --Gwyneth Paltrow