Gwyneth Paltrow’s Sharp, Smart Response to Martha Stewart’s Shade

2 minute read

Gwyneth Paltrow — Iron Man actress, Goop entrepreneur, and all-around super-mom — has a lot to teach her fans: how to consciously uncouple (and what that even means), how to prepare elegant yet nutritious meals, and now, how to respond to an insult in a way that only makes you look better.

At Fortune‘s Most Powerful Women Summit Tuesday, Real Simple editor Kristin van Ogtrop asked Paltrow what she thought of Martha Stewart’s recent comments about Goop (Both Fortune and Real Simple share a parent company with TIME.) Stewart had said, “She just needs to be quiet. She’s a movie star. If she were confident in her acting, she wouldn’t be trying to be Martha Stewart.” It was a fairly harsh criticism that seemed to crystallize public perception of Paltrow: that she’s somehow out-of-touch and imbued with a Hollywood vanity that invalidates her advice.

Contrary to Stewart, though, Paltrow seemed incredibly confident in her ability to deliver lines now, telling van Ogtrop sarcastically: “No one has ever said anything bad about me before, so I’m shocked and devastated. I’ll try to recover. If I’m really honest, I’m so psyched that she sees us as competition. I really am.”

It was the perfect rebuttal, complete with a strong dose of self-deprecating humor, for which Paltrow isn’t generally known. And Paltrow managed to turn Stewart’s remarks back around on her, turning a vicious shade attack into the sort of healthy competition that makes one try harder. Paltrow’s haters may not appreciate her perceived attitude of superiority, but this time, she did it better — with more perspective, wit, and tactical intelligence — than anyone could have expected.

From Gwyneth to Jay Z: 7 Celebrities Who Have Lifestyle Brands

Opening Ceremony & "Grace Of Monaco" Premiere - The 67th Annual Cannes Film Festival
Blake Lively's website Preserve launched in July. She also recently announced through her company blog that she's pregnant with her first child.Pascal Le Segretain—Getty Images
2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter
Reese Witherspoon's lifestyle brand, Draper James, hasn't launched yet, but will likely be influenced by her Southern sensibilities. Jon Kopaloff—FilmMagic
The 40th Annual People's Choice Awards - Show
Ellen DeGeneres's lifestyle brand will include pet products and is set to launch late in 2014.Kevin Winter—Getty Images
Spike TV's "Guys Choice 2013" - Red Carpet
Jessica Alba's Honest Company focuses on organic, environmentally conscious baby products. The eco-friendly business is worth nearly $1 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal.Jason Merritt—Getty Images
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Official Launch Party - Red Carpet
Former reality TV star Lauren Conrad offers everything from fitness to crafts on her lifestyle blog, Laurenconrad.com.Jason Merritt—Getty Images
"Contagion" Premiere - 68th Venice Film Festival
Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop is the gold standard of celebrity lifestyle brands, and she just hired a former Martha Stewart exec as her new CEO.Pascal Le Segretain—Getty Images
Yahoo! Wireless Festival - Day 2
Jay Z's lifestyle website, Life + Times, is aimed at stylish men. Samir Hussein—WireImage

More Must-Reads From TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com