Gywneth Paltrow is perhaps one of the most famous actresses to branch out into lifestyle websites, with the 2008 launch of Goop. Now, the trend has continued with Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Alba, and Blake Lively all opening websites - and Gwyneth has made it clear that there is no competition between the four.
© Photo: Getty ImagesAll four actresses now run businesses online
Speaking to TIME magazine, Gwyneth said: "I think you just put your nose to the grindstone and build your business and scale the best way you know how. You just keep going in hopes the story becomes not people pitting women against each other, which is not founded in truth.
"There’s no competition."
She added: "None of us think we’re in each other’s space. I don’t know how you do it! You just get to work! I think we’re in a funny time for women. We are more and more the breadwinners in families across America or contributing equally; there’s a shift happening sociologically and psychologically.
"People are wrestling with this new archetype of being a woman with a brain who’s also sexual and trying to do more than one thing at a time. I also feel proud. Why would I not want to do that, if it’s a passion?"
When asked to comment on the development of lifestyle websites, Gwyneth added: "I wrestle with it. I feel there’s something slightly misogynistic about it. This is a common theme.
"I think Reese and Jessica and I - I don’t know Blake Lively, and I don’t know if Jessica and Reese know each other - I’m friends with both of them and I speak to both of them and I want to do everything I can to support their businesses."
"I’m not articulating it well, because I haven’t completely worked out what it is, but I feel very proud when Jessica was on the cover of Forbes. I think that’s amazing. You can quantitatively say, 'Look what she’s done, she’s been able to conceive of a business and scale it to that size, in that amount of time.' But we have such different businesses."
Reese Witherspoon's Draper James launched in 2015
The Oscar-winning actress was asked if she checks Blake's Preserve website, or Reese's Draper James, and she replied: "This is a very interesting question, because I wonder if George Clooney would be asked about Puff Daddy’s ancillary liquor line.
"I’m fascinated how the media in particular are so confounded by entrepreneurial women doing something outside of their box."
She continued: "Jessica, especially, who’s a friend of mine - our businesses could not be more different. There’s not a lifestyle piece to her business. The fundamentals of our sites are very different.
"Our businesses have similarities, but hers has retail. People are grasping at straws to tie us together and I get it, because it makes a good story, but I’m slightly offended by this sort of generalization that happens with myself and Jessica and Reese and Blake.
"Yes, there are similarities. But there aren’t stories in TIME written saying, 'Wow, look at Arnold Schwarzenegger, who did x, y, and z!'"
