While Gwyneth Paltrow still has her share of haters — mainly because she seems so out of touch with how most people in the real world live — she does seem to have softened a bit in the months since announcing her split from Chris Martin. Rather than being focused on material things and coming across as typically arrogant, Paltrow's interviews have had a different tone. She did a guest spot on Howard Stern's show today and was more than willing to discuss some of her high-profile relationships from when she was younger.

When asked about her romance with Ben Affleck from more than 15 years ago, Paltrow said they were off and on because he really was not ready to have a girlfriend then. Of course, Brad Pitt also came up, and when asked about their split in 1997, Paltrow actually took the blame.

"I definitely fell in love with him. He was so gorgeous and sweet. I mean, he was Brad Pitt! I was such a kid, I was 22 when we met. It's taken me until 40 to get my head out of my ass. You can't make that decision when you're 22 years old ... I wasn't ready, and he was too good for me. I didn't know what I was doing. I think that when you're in your 20s, you can get swept up in [good looks]. When you're a kid, you tend to be more shallow and you're also immature, so you think that being with a good looking person validates yourself in some kind of way. It's not true," explained the actress.

You have to admit, even just a year or two ago, she would have worked overtime to hide all of her flaws and imperfections from everyone. There is something about Paltrow owning her mistakes and accepting blame that makes her a little bit more endearing, don't you think? Is she beginning to finally "get it" and understand the qualities that make a person truly likable? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.

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