Oscar Actresses Discuss Career Pressures at 2025 Roundtable

Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez and others reflect on roles and fame

Even experienced actors say they can feel uncertain when taking on major roles. That was a recurring theme at The Envelope’s 2025 Oscar Actresses Roundtable.

Gwyneth Paltrow spoke about feeling unprepared early in her career, including her role opposite Michael Douglas in A Perfect Murder.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Jennifer Lopez recalled the pressure she felt portraying singer Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 biopic.

Jennifer Lopez

Emily Blunt said she worked to avoid being typecast after The Devil Wears Prada.

Emily Blunt

The discussion brought together Paltrow, Lopez and Blunt alongside Sydney Sweeney, Tessa Thompson and Elle Fanning. The actresses spoke with Los Angeles Times critic Lorraine Ali about handling public scrutiny, choosing challenging roles and pushing back against industry expectations.

Tessa Thompson

Elle Fanning

Lopez discussed her upcoming musical film Kiss of the Spider Woman, set during Argentina’s military dictatorship. She said the story remains relevant and centers on human connection during political conflict. Paltrow spoke about her role in Marty Supreme, playing a former star inspired partly by Grace Kelly. The film marks her return to acting after several years away.

Sydney Sweeney

Sweeney talked about her physical and emotional transformation to play boxing legend Christy Martin. She trained daily, gained weight for the role and said she worked closely with Martin during production. Blunt discussed The Smashing Machine, saying the film focuses more on emotional struggle than fighting.

Get a sneak peek of Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sydney Sweeney, Tessa Thompson, Emily Blunt and Elle Fanning on the Envelope Oscar Actresses Roundtable.

Watch it on the L.A. Times' YouTube at 9 a.m. PST on Dec. 16 and on Spectrum at 8:30 p.m. PST on Dec. 18. pic.twitter.com/ZrGgblQtMc

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 15, 2025

Thompson reflected on playing the title role in Hedda, an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, and described the part as complex and demanding. Fanning spoke about balancing large studio films with smaller European projects, including her role in Sentimental Value.

The actresses also addressed criticism and public reaction. Paltrow said she avoids reading coverage about herself. Lopez said she learned early to rely on self-belief and personal grounding. Sweeney said focusing on the work helps block out outside noise.

Several participants noted that Hollywood often places women in narrow categories. They said maintaining creative freedom and personal identity remains an ongoing challenge, even at the highest levels of success.

Source: Los Angeles Times.