How Gwyneth Paltrow Feels About Being A Stepmother To Brad Falchuk's Kids

Gwyneth Paltrow already knew how to be a mom after raising the two kids she shared with her 'consciously uncoupled' ex-husband Chris Martin. The exes rebuilt their relationship as friends, but Paltrow wasn't accustomed to being a stepmom, a role she had to fill after getting into a life-changing relationship with Brad Falchuk. Falchuk, who is a screenwriter and producer, came with two kids that he had from a previous marriage. He and Paltrow started dating in 2014 before tying the knot in 2018, effectively combining their families.

On an Instagram Q&A (via People), the Oscar winner opened up about the challenges she faced becoming a stepmom for the first time. Not only was she completely lost in her new role, but Paltrow felt there was a negative stigma attached to being a stepmom that made the transition harder. "And in fact, all of the existing media around what a stepmother is casts us in this evil, villainous light," she said. "So it's kind of like trying to avoid land mines."

But a simple change of mindset helped Paltrow adjust to her new life. She just treated her kids like they were her own, until they started to basically become her own. "And now it's pretty great," she said.

Gwyneth Paltrow regretted paying attention to the myths that surrounded being a stepmom. If she could go back in time, she would've approached her and Brad Falchuk's family with a little more optimism. "So I think I came into it on tenterhooks ... it's like you can only do the wrong thing. That's my only regret," she said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

But if there was anyone who appreciated what Paltrow brought to the table, it was Falchuk himself. According to her husband, Paltrow had nothing to worry about when it came to being a bonus parent. "You're a spectacular stepmom, like, thank goodness for you," Falchuk reportedly told Paltrow on her "The Goop Podcast."

Falchuk went on to praise Paltrow's growing connection with his kids, so much so that Paltrow proved to Falchuk she didn't just help raise his kids out of obligation for their marriage. "My kids absolutely, I mean, you have a relationship with them outside of me. You talk to them all the time. They come to you for advice all the time. They rely on you," Falchuk said.