Does Anyone Really Win When Celebrities Go to Court?

Gwyneth Paltrow’s High-Profile Legal Fight

Despite winning just $1 in damages, Gwyneth Paltrow had more at stake when she fought a lawsuit over a skiing collision. Many A-list celebrities might pay to avoid a reputation-damaging court case, but the Oscar-winner turned wellness guru refused to do so. Her high-profile legal fight played out on camera with the star’s outfits and offer to hand out treats in the courtroom making global headlines. For a woman who would barely have noticed making it all go away for $300,000, was it really worth it? Moreover, turning the courtroom into a catwalk for her brand Goop and others undoubtedly boosted sales.

The Trend of Celebrity Lawsuits

Celebrity lawsuits seem to be like buses at the moment. While Paltrow was fighting her case in the US, a group including Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, and Liz Hurley were taking on the publisher of the Daily Mail at the High Court in the UK. There was also Johnny Depp v Amber Heard: Round 2 and Wagatha Christie last year. Depp went to court in the UK, suing the publisher of The Sun newspaper over revelations about his and Heard’s relationship. His reputation seemed to be ruined, but he chose to go through it all again, suing Heard herself, all on camera just like Paltrow’s case. Depp told the US court he lost “nothing less than everything” as a result of allegations of abuse by Heard. After six weeks of evidence, the majority of the public seemed to side with the actor, and the jury found in his favour.

Rebekah Vardy’s Lawsuit

Rebekah Vardy refused to back down in her lawsuit against Coleen Rooney, even though a settlement was offered before the court case. In the hearing, it was alleged that Vardy had leaked stories to tabloids about Rooney, teammates of her Leicester City footballer husband Jamie Vardy, and others. She also set up paparazzi shots of the England players’ wives and girlfriends during the World Cup in Russia in 2018. In a damning verdict, Judge Justice Steyn described Vardy’s evidence as “manifestly inconsistent… evasive, or implausible,” while Rooney’s evidence was “honest and reliable.” Despite this, Vardy maintained her innocence in an interview with TalkTV after the case’s verdict.

Was it Worth It?

It can be argued that for some celebrities, lawsuits bring more attention to their brand, and in some cases, all publicity is good. Paltrow never cared about the haters and has faced years of criticism about her wellness brand, but long after the point of this case has been forgotten, the outfits and no doubt visits to the Goop website will live on. For Paltrow, perhaps it was worth it, but for others like Vardy or Sanderson, who have to pay their legal fees, even after losing a case, it may not have been.

Credit: https://news.sky.com/story/gwyneth-paltrow-johnny-depp-wagatha-christie-are-high-profile-lawsuits-really-worth-it-for-celebs-12846638

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