Ione Skye Reflects on Gwyneth Paltrow’s Treatment of Her Brother in New Memoir
Gwyneth Paltrow is being described as a “mean” ex in Ione Skye’s new memoir, *Say Everything*. Skye, the sister of Donovan Leitch, Paltrow’s former boyfriend, doesn’t hold back when sharing her thoughts on their past relationship and a particularly memorable vacation they all took together.
In the book, Skye recalls a 1994 trip to Mexico following the Northridge Earthquake, which she describes as far from relaxing. At the time, Paltrow was still early in her acting career, having appeared in films like *Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle* but not yet achieving her Oscar-winning fame for *Shakespeare in Love*. Leitch, on the other hand, spent much of the vacation sick in bed, which Skye claims didn’t elicit much sympathy from Paltrow.
Skye recounts a specific incident during breakfast when Leitch accidentally tipped over his water glass, splashing a few drops on Paltrow. “She’d snapped, ‘Idiot.’ With a laugh, but still,” Skye writes. The moment left Skye uneasy, prompting her to ask her brother privately, “Gwyneth [was] always mean to you like that?” Leitch, however, simply laughed it off, seemingly unbothered.
Skye explains that at the time, Leitch, then 27, was looking toward the future, envisioning marriage and children. Paltrow, only 21, wasn’t ready for anything too serious. “Well, at least not yet,” Skye adds.
The relationship between Paltrow and Leitch didn’t last long. Just six months after their Mexico trip, Paltrow landed a role in *Se7en*, where she met Brad Pitt. The two quickly became a high-profile couple, dating from 1994 to 1997 and even getting engaged before eventually parting ways.
As for Leitch, he appears to have taken the breakup in stride. However, Skye’s memories of that Mexico vacation and Paltrow’s behavior remain vivid, offering a candid glimpse into the early days of the now-iconic actress’s life and relationships.
