Gwyneth Paltrow Had Not Seen an Avengers Movie Before 'Infinity War'

Amagansett actress and lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow plays a key role as Tony Stark’s (aka Iron Man) loyal assistant and eventual Stark Industries CEO Pepper Potts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but she had never seen an Avengers movie before the Avengers: Infinity War world premiere at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre on Monday.

Avengers: Infinity War opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, April 27.

Along with admitting not seeing the two previous Avengers films, despite having a scene in the first, Paltrow spoke with Tamara Krinsky and LZ Granderson on the red carpet—actually purple, in honor of Infinity War‘s villain, Thanos (Josh Brolin)—about her character. She appears briefly as Pepper Potts in the new blockbuster and has been part of the MCU since the very first film, Iron Man, in 2008.

Just prior to going on camera, Paltrow marveled (pun intended) to Krinsky and Granderson about the craziness of the event, “like the Oscars.” Speaking against the din of screaming fans, Paltrow says, “It’s so bananas I can’t even hear what you said,” adding, “It’s amazing, I’ve never quite been to a premiere like this before.”

The Infinity War premiere was a major event featuring dozens of Marvel Studios stars and behind-camera talent, an exhibit of MCU costumes, props and other onscreen objects, as well as various press conferences, merchandise reveals and thousands of fans, many of them in in full cosplay regalia.

Paltrow goes on to say she feels “very honored” to be a part of the MCU. “It’s wonderful that Marvel is really kind of fostering all these incredible female characters,” she says. “I’m thrilled to be here tonight, even though I just have a little part in this one.”

Infinity War marks Paltrow’s sixth time playing Pepper Potts in a Marvel Studios film, starting with the one that started it all in 2008, Iron Man. Following Iron Man, Paltrow appeared in Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013) and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). She is also slated to play Potts in the untitled followup to Avengers: Infinity War next year.

The relationship between Pepper Potts and Tony Stark (played by East Hampton homeowner Robert Downey Jr.) has evolved over the last 10 years of MCU films, with her starting as his loyal assistant, and eventually becoming CEO of Stark Industries and his love interest. Paltrow says Potts and Stark’s closest friend and head of security Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) ground Stark. He can go off and save the world, she explains, “but then he needs to come home to people who love him.”

Paltrow also tells Krinsky and Granderson that Potts is no longer suffering from the ill effects of Extremis—an experimental nanotechnology that dangerously alters DNA—which she was injected with to in Iron Man 3. “She’s OK, she detoxed. She did a goop detox and she’s fine—no more Extremis.”

Her oh-so-shameful admission came as Krinsky asked Paltrow about seeing all the MCU worlds coming together in Infinity War. “To be honest, I’ve never seen an Avengers movie—I know, but my son is a huge fan,” she said sheepishly. “So, I’m here with my son, so I’m most excited to watch him watch the movie.” She noted that her son Moses, who just turned 12 on April 8, was just a baby when she starred in Iron Man. “It’s amazing to be here with him tonight.”

Check South O’ the Highway for more Avengers: Infinity War news in the lead up to the film’s local premiere on Thursday night, April 26.