Gwyneth Paltrow reportedly once thought about having a baby with ex-boyfriend Luke Wilson, but his smoking habit became one of the biggest concerns standing in the way.
More than two decades later, the story has gained fresh attention after Wilson quietly welcomed his first child with his much-younger girlfriend.
Gwyneth Paltrow Reportedly Had Second Thoughts About Having A Baby
Paltrow and Wilson dated for about a year between 2001 and 2002 after meeting on the set ofย ‘The Royal Tenenbaums‘ย in 2001. As their romance became serious, Paltrow reportedly started thinking about having a child with theย ‘Bottle Rocket‘ย star. In particular, those thoughts became stronger around the death of her father, Bruce, in October 2002.
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In fact, Amy Odell discussed those plans inย ‘Gwyneth: The Biography‘, which hit bookshelves in July 2025. According to the book, Paltrow had “thought about having a baby with Luke Wilson.” However, her hopes for a family reportedly came with serious doubts about whether Wilson was ready for such a big step.
More importantly, his smoking habit appears to have played a major part in those concerns. One of Paltrow’s friends reportedly believed Wilson had two major red flags. The book states, “According to one of Gwynethโs friends, he smoked a lot of pot and didnโt seem ready to be a parent.” As a result, Paltrow reportedly did not move ahead with having a child with him.
Their Romance Ended Before Parenthood Became A Reality
Interestingly, Wilson had been open about wanting to date Paltrow while they worked together onย ‘The Royal Tenenbaums‘. According to the biography, he told a crew member, โI have two goals for The Royal Tenenbaums. โNot to look like an a—— and figure out how to get a date with Gwyneth Paltrow.โโ
Meanwhile, the couple tried to keep their relationship private. Even so, their romance was apparently no secret among their co-workers, as Odell wrote that “everyone on set knew.” Ultimately, the relationship ended before Paltrow and Wilson ever started a family together.
Afterward, Paltrow moved on and became a mother with Coldplay singer Chris Martin. She married Martin in 2003, and they later welcomed two children, Apple and Moses. However, the couple ended their marriage in March 2014 after 13 years together. Paltrow then married Brad Falchuk in 2018.
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Luke Wilson Became A First-Time Father Decades Later
Years later, Wilson finally entered parenthood himself. More than two decades after Paltrow reportedly worried about his smoking habit and whether he was ready to raise a child, news emerged on Wednesday, July 8, that the actor had quietly welcomed his first baby with girlfriend Kendall Yates, 24.
Soon afterward, the new family made a rare public appearance together. Wilson and Yates brought their newborn to a press reception for his upcoming Netflix seriesย ‘The Resort‘ย on Tuesday, July 7. According to reports, they arrived shortly after 5 p.m. with their baby strapped into a carrier and left around two hours later.
Notably, Wilson and Yates have mostly kept their relationship private. They publicly confirmed their romance in January 2023 after appearing together on a California beach while walking Wilson’s dog. Since then, they have been seen on several dates, including the Los Angeles premiere ofย ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1‘ย in 2024.
Now, Wilson becoming a father for the first time has brought fresh attention to Paltrow’s reported concerns years ago, when his smoking habit and apparent lack of readiness stood in the way of them having a child together.
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