When Gwyneth Paltrow Revealed Bill Clinton Dozed Off During White House Screening Of This Oscar-Winning Film

Did you know Bill Clinton snored during the screening of an acclaimed Gwyneth Paltrow movie at the White House?

- June 5, 2025 | 8:26 PM IST

Which Gwyneth Paltrow Movie Made Bill Clinton Doze Off? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )

Turns out, even U.S. Presidents can’t stay awake during period dramas. Gwyneth Paltrow finally confirmed a long-whispered Hollywood rumor, and yep, it’s as funny as it sounds. The Goop founder dropped the truth bomb during her Hot Ones appearance on March 21, 2024.

When host Sean Evans grilled her about whether Bill Clinton dozed off during the White House screening of her 1996 film Emma, Gwyneth didn’t hold back. “True. He was snoring right in front of me,” she said.

Gwyneth Paltrow Confirms Bill Clinton Snored During Emma Screening

That’s right. The 42nd President of the United States didn’t just drift off, but snored. In front of the lead actress, Gwyneth Paltrow, and at her movie screening. However, did the Oscar winner take offense? Not even a little. In fact, she handled it with sarcasm on standby: “I was like, ‘Wow, I guess this is going to be a real hit movie.’ But it was! So f**k you, Bill Clinton.”

Emma Earned Immense Critical & Commercial Acclaim

Emma hit theaters in 1996, with Gwyneth Paltrow stepping into the shoes of Jane Austen’s most meddlesome heroine, Emma Woodhouse. The 19th-century rom-com followed the rich and slightly clueless matchmaker as she played cupid for her pals, often to catastrophic consequences.

Directed by Douglas McGrath, the movie wasn’t just critically loved, it raked in $37 million globally (via The Numbers). It was also nominated for two Academy Awards and even bagged one, for Best Original Score. While Emma got the critics’ nod, it wasn’t the movie that earned Paltrow her Best Actress Oscar. That honor came two years later, thanks to Shakespeare in Love.

Back to the nap heard ‘round the White House, this story’s been floating in pop culture circles for years. But the Iron Man star’s cheeky confirmation on Hot Ones finally gave fans the green light to laugh about it.