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A new goop podcast episode has been released by Gwyneth Paltrow and Kelly Rutherford, the actress, in which they discuss topics such as love, resilience, and conscious living. Then the conversation drifted to nostalgia, with Rutherford recalling a 90s’ more chill attitude toward self-care- somewhat casual willingness to smoke cigarettes in the bathtub during heavy emotional moments.
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The goop Podcast is one of the newest additions to the cross-generational lineup that brings together the two icons of 1990s film and television. On the one hand, we have one Oscar-winning actress and a wellness mogul; on the other, we have Kelly Rutherford, most famous for playing Lily van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl. According to Paltrow, the discussion will follow the narratives of resilience and intentional living while viewing Rutherford as “muse, mother, icon.”
However, it was those 90s-flavored stories from the past springing from Rutherford that snagged the audience’s eye. In that same episode, she recalled: “In the 90s we kind of could… it was still okay to kind of sit in the bathtub with the cigarette and totally like have a good cry or whatever. It was like healthy, it was normal.” A candid reckoning with a different sort of self-care acted as an instantaneous launching pad for the audience into a discourse on the great cultural divergence that has occurred regarding the notion of emotional catharsis and different vices over the ensuing years.
The post caused a stir across the social platforms, stirring hundreds of comments with all congratulating the girls for their timeless beauty and valorizing a loving friendship. “If two people look alike ever so closely, then it’s said they are twins,” remarked one, while others claimed, “The two jewels of western civilization. This is the new superbowl.” Paltrow-Rutherford physical resemblance intrigued many of their followers, as a number of flaggers admitted that they’ve always mentally integrated the two actresses in one basket.
Particularly emphasized was the Rutherford Gossip Girl legacy. “The Upper East Side Monarch. Lily Van der Woodsen FOREVER,” one chassis exclaimed, alluding to her star turn in the series from 2007 to 2012. Another marveled, “She looks the same as she did in Gossip Girl! So chic,” splendidly elaborating on the apparent agelessness that grasps Rutherford nearly two decades after her peers first unveiled the series.
Rutherford’s 90s nostalgia call-in clearly struck a chord with the audience. “Loved the 90s. Full stop,” one follower commented, with another chiming in: “I miss that era every day, in a hundred ways!!!” Just the very thought of “one hand with a cig and the other with a good cry” brought out laughter and interest. “So we’re saying we can’t do that anymore?? Bc idk that sounds real fab to me,” mused one person, while another queried, albeit more emphatically, “it’s not ok to sit in the bathtub with a cigarette and cry anymore…??” These queries embody a desperate nod to the good old days and a sense of bewilderment as to when these hearthealing acts landed onto the social naughty list.
One of the more precis analysts commented on a cultural connection, “The French still do… and know how to protest well,” tracing an analogy of Rutherford’s self-care rites with European views on personal freedom. Another analogized to Wes Anderson’s 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums, succinctly stating, “Like Margot Tenenbaum,” thereby linking Rutherford’s self-care description to Gwyneth Paltrow’s own iconic role as the adopted Tenenbaum daughter who famously smoked cigarettes in the bathtub—a knockout circular reference between the actresses’ genuine chat and their fictional roles.
The talk with Paltrow and Rutherford stands for something more than merely celebrity reminiscence; it touches on shifting cultural attitudes toward mental health, self-care, and emotional processing. What maybe 90s culture emphatically accepted as the norm in coping mechanisms has nowadays come into question, and thus modern-day wellness culture has erected its own language and practices around this managing of emotions. The contrast between then and now, as easily drawn out from Rutherford’s recollection, provides for a very fascinating sight into how much transforming our understanding of what “healthy” emotional expression really is.
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The social media frenzy and the podcast episode portray two women who have been in the limelight for decades and, today, still relevant and intact with themselves. Rutherford’s recollection of 90s emotional habits is like a capsule and source of reflection: It forces the listener to recognize emptiness in the advancing wellness world, due, however, to the fact that the simplest cathartic methods, although not perfect, did work for this particular time. The continued public following of both actresses speaks of authentic vibrations lasting for either 90s nostalgia or contemporary wisdom about purposeful living. Paltrow is also known for her creative breakfast ideas, once elevating leftovers into gourmet duck confit breakfast. Her culinary adventures continue with a Vietnamese-inspired breakfast spread that sparked debate, and she also serves up Japanese veggie pancakes with fried eggs.