(Estella) Gwyneth Paltrow earned rave reviews for her title role performance in the film adaptation of Jane Austen's novel "Emma." She also stars in the upcoming features "Sliding Doors" and "Hush," the latter opposite Jessica Lange.

Paltrow's other film credits include "Seven" opposite Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, "The Pallbearer," "Moonlight and Valentino," Merchant and Ivory's "Jefferson in Paris" and "Hard Eight," directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Born in Los Angeles, Paltrow stems from a close knit family deeply entrenched in the entertainment industry. Her father, Bruce Paltrow, is a highly successful producer ("St. Elsewhere," "The White Shadow") and her mother is the award-winning Blythe Danner. Paltow and her younger brother Jake spent their early childhood in Los Angeles where she attended St. Augustine by the Sea (now known as Crossroads).

At the age of eleven, her family moved to New York and she enrolled in the Spense School where she later graduated. Paltrow enrolled in the University of California at Santa Barbara with the intention of majoring in Art History. She quickly learned that college life was not something she felt committed to and withdrew from school despite her father's strong recommendation to remain. It wasn't until he caught her moving performance in the Williamstown Theater production of "Picnic," starring opposite her mother and Tony Goldwyn did he lend support in her pursuit of an acting career.

Her first film role came in "Shout," which starred John Travolta. She followed with the part of young 'Wendy' in Steven Spielberg's "Hook," with Robin Williams and Julia Roberts.

In the feature "Flesh and Bone," directed by Steve Kloves, Paltrow was cast as 'Ginnie', a smooth-talking grifter alongside Meg Ryan, Dennis Quaid and James Caan. She also appeared in Harold Becker's "Malice" with Alec Baldwin and Nicole Kidman and in Alan Rudolph's "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle."

Paltrow also acted in the television mini-series "Cruel Doubt," in which, ironically, Blythe Danner was cast to play the part of her mother.

Gwyneth as Estella

Paltrow and Hawke had been friends for many years and embraced the opportunity to work together. "When you're really comfortable and good friends with someone," she explains, "you feel relaxed and open around them; this really helps open yourself up to the work."

Paltrow's close working relationship with Hawke and director Cuarón helped the actress shape her character. "Estella is the ice princess," claims Paltrow. "She is unattainable, but she is also self-aware. Estella has been taught not to love."