Gwyneth Paltrow’s hit-and-run ski crash trial became social media’s latest punching bag after videos of the trial’s most bizarre moments went viral.
Terry Sanderson, retired optometrist, filed for a lawsuit against Paltrow in 2019, suing her for $300,000 after she allegedly ran into him in a skiing accident in 2016. The accident left him with four broken ribs, a concussion and brain damage. Sanderson also said the actress got up and skied away after the collision.
Paltrow responded by saying that Sanderson ran into her and was suing Paltrow to exploit her wealth. She proceeded to countersue for one dollar.
The key point of this trial is that both parties are trying to establish one thing: Who was downhill during the collision?
The events that played out during this trial became the subject of countless memes, and some things are so bizarre that you may forget why they’re in court in the first place.
Here are some of the most bizarre moments from the trial.
Sanderson’s lawyer telling Paltrow she was jealous of her height
During most of the trial, Sanderson’s lawyer, Kristin VanOrman, sounded more like a fan rather than a lawyer. She asked Paltrow about her height and said, “Ok, I am so jealous” when the actress revealed that she’s “just under 5’10.”
Then, the women joked about how they feel as though they’re shrinking, and VanOrman started talking about the type of shoes she wears to appear taller. I think they forgot they were in the middle of a trial for a second there.
Sanderson’s lawyer asking Paltrow if she is friends with Taylor Swift
VanOrman questioned Paltrow about her countersuit of one dollar, asking if she was inspired by Taylor Swift, who symbolically countersued former DJ David Mueller for $1 in 2017 for sexual assault.
Sanderson’s lawyer then asked if Paltrow is friends with Swift. Paltrow’s attorney objected on the grounds of relevance, but the judge overruled, and Sanderson’s lawyer continued to ask Paltrow about her relationship with Swift and if she ever gave Swift any presents. Honestly, I think the judge was curious to know if there was any bad blood between the two (I’m sorry for the pun).
Paltrow’s biggest loss from the accident was that it cut into her ski time
One of the most infamous moments from this trial was when Paltrow was asked about the “losses” she suffered from the accident, to which she said, “Well, I lost half a day of skiing.”
Paltrow’s well wishes
Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of Paltrow. As she was exiting the courtroom with her one dollar, Paltrow touched Sanderson on the shoulder and said, “I wish you well.”
Though Sanderson told reporters that he thought the well wishes were nice, it quickly became a meme among social media users, who also dubbed Paltrow’s final one-liner of the trial as iconic.
Even though Paltrow won the trial, she still lost half a day of skiing.