Gwyneth Paltrow has opened up about her high-profile split from Brad Pitt, admitting that the end of their relationship left her feeling “extra shame”.

Gwyneth Paltrow has reflected on her past relationship with Brad Pitt, revealing how the intense media attention surrounding their breakup added to the emotional pressure she experienced.

The 53-year-old actress discussed her romance with Pitt during an appearance on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, recalling that they experienced what she described as “love at first sight” after meeting on set.

“I met him on set and like we had like kind of a love at first sight thing,” Paltrow recalled. “It was pretty awesome. It was really fun.”

Paltrow said the relationship became increasingly overwhelming as her own profile in Hollywood grew. She recalled being identified by the public and media primarily as Pitt’s girlfriend rather than as an actress in her own right.

“I was just young, and we were working all over different parts of the world,” she said.

Gwyneth Paltrow recalls Brad Pitt romance

Paltrow and Pitt ended their relationship in June 1997 after becoming one of Hollywood’s most closely watched couples.

Reflecting on whether their romance sometimes felt more like a fantasy than reality, Paltrow acknowledged the intense nature of their relationship.

“There was an aspect of it that was very heady,” she said.

“I was very young and he was this beautiful movie star,” Paltrow added.

Despite their breakup, the Marty Supreme actress said she and Pitt remain friends.

Paltrow admitted that she was “so bummed” when their relationship ended, while also reflecting on the enormous media attention surrounding the split.

Paltrow discusses pressure after breakup

The actress said constant press coverage made the end of the relationship feel much bigger than it might otherwise have been.

“I think the press aspect and all that makes it feel larger than life in a way,” Paltrow explained.

According to Paltrow, celebrities can feel pressure to attach a sense of cultural importance to their relationships. That can create an “extra burden” when those relationships ultimately come to an end.

The former couple’s romance remains one of the most remembered celebrity relationships of 1990s Hollywood, even as both stars have since moved forward with their careers and personal lives.