Gwyneth Paltrow Recalls Awkward White House Screening Of Her 1996 Jane Austen Movie

Summary

• Gwyneth Paltrow recalls Bill Clinton snoring during an awkward White House screening of
  Emma
  .
• Despite Clinton’s nap,
  Emma
  (1996) was a hit and was praised for staying faithful to Austen’s novel.
• Paltrow’s
  Emma
  remains a sentimental favorite, even if it couldn’t keep the former president awake.

Gwyneth Paltrow recalls an awkward screening of Emma at the White House with Bill Clinton. The 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1815 novel follows a precocious Regency-era Englishwoman, her misguided attempts at matchmaking, and the consequences that arise from her meddling in the romantic affairs of others, including nearly missing out on her own chance at love. Gwyneth Paltrow leads the Emma cast alongside Alan Cumming, Toni Collette, Ewan McGregor, and Jeremy Northam.

During a recent appearance on Hot Ones (via First We Feast), Paltrow recalled an awkward screening of Emma at the White House with President Bill Clinton in 1996.

Asked by host Sean Evans if the former president “passed out asleep” during the screening, the actress confirmed it is true and playfully interjected, “F**k you, Bill Clinton!” Read her full response below:

True. He was snoring right in front of me. I was like, “Wow I guess this is going to be a real hit movie.” But it was, so F**k you Bill Clinton!

How Was 1996’s Emma Received Otherwise?

Though 1996’s Emma wasn’t enough to keep President Bill Clinton awake, which led to Gwyneth Paltrow’s initial doubts, the movie turned out to be a hit, as she says. Emma received positive reviews from critics, who praised Paltrow’s charming performance, and writer-director Douglas McGrath for making the most out of Jane Austen’s source material in his promising debut. The 1996 version was also praised for remaining relatively faithful to the source material, while McGrath’s screenplay simultaneously enlivens the banter between Emma and George Knightley, making the basis of their attraction more apparent.

The 1996 version of Emma was also a box office success that made over $37 million, more than five times its small $7 budget, and received two Oscar nominations, winning for Best Costume Design. In 2020, there was arguably a more acclaimed Emma movie adaptation starring Anya Taylor-Joy, which earned an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes compared to 1996’s 84%. However, Paltrow’s Emma remains the more romanticized version of Austen’s novel and the one that audiences grew up with. It holds a sentimental place in audiences’ hearts, even though it couldn’t keep Bill Clinton awake for its two-hour runtime.

Emma
(1996) is streaming on Paramount+.
Emma.
(2020) is streaming on Freevee.

Source: First We Feast