Gwyneth Paltrow tearfully testifies against accused stalker
Gwyneth Paltrow testified Monday in the trial of a man accused of stalking her, saying he wrote upsetting letters discussing her death and his intention to marry her and also sent her pornography and unsolicited gifts.
Dante Soiu is accused of stalking the Oscar-winning actress for 17 years, but the case focuses on the most recent batch of 66 messages he’s sent her between 2009 and 2015.
Several of those messages referenced Paltrow’s death, Soiu’s desire to marry her and unsolicited gifts, including clothes, a pair of earrings and a Weight Watchers cookbook.
The actress broke down briefly during her roughly two and a half hours on the stand after a prosecutor asked Paltrow about whether she feared for her children’s safety as a result of Soiu’s missives.
“Yes,” Paltrow responded tearfully. She quickly regained her composure and explained why she was so rattled by Soiu.
“I’m scared because the communications completely defy logic,” she said. “I’ve been dealing with this for 17 years with the communications from this man.”
Soiu’s attorney said he has simply written letters to Paltrow, and that recent letters haven’t included pornography. Attorney Lynda Westlund said Soiu is a Christian man who is just trying to minister to the actress.
Soiu, 66, was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2000 in a previous trial involving messages he sent to Paltrow, which included pornography and sex toys. He was sent to a mental institution for several years, but re-arrested last year after sending the actress new correspondence.
One letter described Paltrow “bowing to death.” The actress said the reference was disturbing.
In another, Soiu is accused of writing, “I have a goal: to marry Gwyneth Paltrow and take care of her.”
“This has been a very long and very traumatic experience already,” Paltrow said.
O’Brien to tout liberal arts education
Conan O’Brien is coming to Harvard to talk about the value of a liberal arts education.
The late night TV host will visit the Cambridge campus on Friday for a conversation about arts and education with university President Drew Faust, followed by questions from the audience.
O’Brien is a Brookline, Massachusetts, native and a 1985 graduate of the Ivy League university. He hosts “Conan” on TBS and is a former host of “The Tonight Show” on NBC.
The ticketed event will be held at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre. It will also be streamed live on the university’s website.
The birthday bunch
Actress-politician Sheila James Kuehl (TV: “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis”) is 75. Singer-songwriter Carole King is 74. Actor Joe Pesci is 73. Actress Mia Farrow is 71. Singer Joe Ely is 69. Country singer Travis Tritt is 53. Actor David Gallagher is 31. Actor Michael B. Jordan is 29.