Gwyneth Paltrow has once again embraced the limelight of Hollywood, candidly discussing her hiatus, the motivations behind her comeback, and how an unexpected empty nest experience spurred her new journey.

After an absence of nearly seven years from acting and over 15 years since her last leading role, the entrepreneur behind Goop is set to grace the screen in the eagerly awaited Marty Supreme. For Paltrow, stepping away wasn’t a mere choice; it was a vital decision.

In a conversation with Jacob Elordi for Variety Actors on Actors, unveiled on December 9, she reflected, “In my 20s, acting felt isolating. Travel was constant, and I hadn’t yet truly discovered myself. Growing up and understanding my identity came through my family, and then I ventured into starting a business.”

Paltrow is the mother of daughter Apple, 21, and son Moses, 19, with former spouse Chris Martin. She is also a stepmother to her husband Brad Falchuk’s children, Izzy, 21, and Brody, 18. As all four young adults transitioned to college or adulthood, she faced an unforeseen shift in her sense of self.

Describing her unexpected opportunity, she said, “The chance to work on Marty Supreme emerged just as our sons left for college, leaving me in a state of shock and introspection, questioning, ‘Who am I now?’ Meeting Josh Safdie was pivotal, as it felt like revisiting the heartfelt filmmaking of the ‘90s.”

And while fans may assume Gwyneth was itching to get back in front of a camera, she insists that wasn’t the case.

“If I’m being completely honest, it’s not that the acting bug had bit,” she told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month. “My children, all four of them, had left.”

Running Goop kept her plenty busy, but the 53-year-old said a deeper emotional shift hit her once the kids were gone. “I started to have a real panic around my purpose,” she admitted, “and where I’m supposed to orient myself.”

As she put it, “‘Where do I want to live? Who am I? It was pretty profound.’”

Still, the spark eventually returned the moment she stepped on set again.

“I was like, ‘Oh, what is this weird feeling I’m having?’” she recalled of her first day on Marty Supreme. “Oh my God, this is excitement. I’m actually really excited to be here.”