續上篇
Do you ever use your celebrity status? 
Of course, sometimes. Your friends will call the hot restaurant
and say, 'Do you have any tables for two tonight?' and they'll
say no. Then, I'll call back and get them, or they'll just
mention my name and we're in. It's not fair, but I have to
figure, there's got to be some payback for having people watch
how much you eat and how you chew and if your napkin is on your
lap, and asking you for autographs throughout your dinner.

And you've been doubly watched because you've been in such a
high-profile relationships [with Brad Pitt and now Ben Affleck].
Does it bother you when people ask you about those relationships? 
No, it doesn't make me uncomfortable at all. When I get together
with my girlfriends, they want to know, 'Who are you going out
with now? And what's he like?' And I ask everyone the same
questions, you know. So it's not that I'm offended or feel like,
'How dare these pedestrian people want to know about it.' I mean,
of course they do. So do I; so do you. But I just have to -- for
myself -- not talk about it, because it's... it's my thing. You
start to let people in, and absolutely no good can come of it.
None.

Why do people feel like they have the right to pry into your
personal life? 
People feel like they know me in a certain way. They have some
jurisdiction because they pay to see my movies, or they liked
me before I was really famous or whatever it may be. They have
a personal tie to me, and they have an interest like you would
have an interest in something personal to you. I understand that
completely.

It sounds like you're treating the situation differently now
than when you were with Brad. 
I feel like it's an organized philosophy now. I said things
about being in a relationship that felt wrong to me even as I
was saying them. I was more concerned about hurting the
reporter's feelings or coming off as being overly self-
protective. It wasn't about whether I wanted to say more. But
you always learn, unless you're an idiot. You always learn from
the previous experiences.

Are there people whose lives you're fascinated with? 
Well, this Christmas party [Ben and I] were at last night was a
perfect little situation. It was in Santa Monica canyon. The
fire was going, and I thought, 'It's so nice. These are such
good people.' The couple who was hosting it, producer friends
of ours, are so smart. Really responsible, kind people with
good hearts. They have this sweet house, and good friends, and
they get to come home to each other every night, and they're
not in some random hotel room somewhere eating room service by
themselves. And, you know, I'd like something resembling that.
When I see young guys with their babies, I love that. I love
young families. I think it has a lot to do with the biological
animalistic aspects to my life. When I'm 50-years-old, and if
I've raised my kids and they're out of college or in college,
I may get the bug to start going out on the road. But right now,
I'd like to nest, to stay in the same place for a while.

But you still have some movies left in you. Would you like to
try something radically different, like an action movie? 
Honestly, that doesn't appeal to me. I would never say I'd never
do an action movie, but I can't see myself packing a weapon right
now. Maybe it was be interesting to play a cartoony thing. I'd
like to do a Cat Woman-y kind of role. That would be fun.

Do you get offered scripts like that? 
I get offered a lot of period films.

Does that worry you? 
I just hope that people don't get possessive of me that way.
Like how they get over the sweetheart type of girl. It's hard
when you see an actor or actress you respect, like Julia
Roberts, continuously being asked to play the same role because
that's what the American people demand.

If your latest period role wins an Oscar, will that fulfill one
of your wildest dreams? 
It's not really something I think about. Sure, as a kid, you're
like, `Wow, I wonder what that would be like to be nominated or
to win.' But I never did the `thank you' thing in front of the
mirror, and it's certainly not a goal. If it was, I would be in
need of some serious psychotherapy. It shouldn't be the focus.
It shouldn't be the goal. I work my ass off, and just having my
parents come to the screening, like they did the other night,
and seeing them both cry at the end; to me, that was all I needed.

On the other hand, does criticism bother you? Have you heard
there are some anti-Gwyneth websites? 
No. I haven't. There's a side of everyone that thinks people are
going to sort of pick on you, and the more successful you are,
the worse it gets, you know? But a part of me also thinks that
these are just mean-spirited people who don't know me, and I
laugh it off. If I looked too closely at it all, it might hurt
my feelings. Sometimes, ignoring it is better.

You've said you're a big believer in self-improvement. How do
you apply that in your own life? 
I read things that make my mind feel clearer. That make me feel
less complicated, that get the junk out of my mind so I can
really see where I am. For a long time I didn't know who I was.
I didn't know what was important to me. I'm just in the last
year or so feeling like I started to figure it out. I read a
lot of poetry. e.e. cummings, A.E. Housman, ''Leaves of Grass.''
I think that Whitman really understands what it is to be tiny
and unimportant. I also do yoga. Madonna and I have the same
yoga teacher.

It all sounds so good. Do you have maybe one vice? 
Let's see. One vice, one vice... Okay, how about fried foods? I
love them. Fried clams, fried shrimp.

I feel better already! 
Oh man, I love them. Fried popcorn shrimp. Anything tempura.
Let's see, fried eggplant, fried chicken, fried potatoes. Let's
eat!