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Gwyneth talks Glee, depression and music on E! Special

By April MacIntyre Dec 20, 2010, 19:37 GMT

12/14/2010 - Garrett Hedlund, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw and Leighton Meester - "Country Strong" Los Angeles Special Screening - Arrivals - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - Beverly Hills, CA, USA © Bob Charlotte / PR Photos

Gwyneth Paltrow tells E! "I want to kind of continue feeling as grateful as I feel now for my life. I just appreciate what I've been through and where I've come and I'm just looking forward to seeing what's around the corner."

Paltrow won the Best Actress Oscar at the age of 26.

Now 38, she is playing a high-stepping schoolmarm in the hit show Glee, and a tortured singer in the new film, Country Strong.

From E!

The multi-talented actress sits down with E!, along with her mother, Blythe Danner, co-star Tim McGraw, Glee creator Ryan Murphy, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and several close friends to reveal the true story of a hopeful teenage girl turned glamorous Hollywood icon.

The E! Entertainment Special: Gwyneth Paltrow premieres on December 22nd at 10:00 PM only on E!. The daughter of a Tony Award winning mother and acclaimed producer/director father, one would assume Gwyneth simply breezed into her ultra-successful career.

But Paltrow worked hard for her success and, early on, struggled to make ends meet on her own. Blythe Danner recalls, "We could have paid for everything and had a spoiled kid, [but] I think it's really important for people to work hard." Adds Paltrow, "I would say 'Dad, I can't go out to dinner, I have no money,' and he would say 'you're welcome to come over here and eat at our house anytime, but I'm not giving you money for your social life.'"

In the early stages of her career, Paltrow quickly built up an impressive resume and an equally compelling personal life. Commenting on her high-profile romances with Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck, Paltrow and those closest to her reveal to E! what her life was like during those years and how the spotlight of newfound fame affected her and helped make her the person she is today.

"It was strange to be part of a public couple," she says. Paltrow also reveals to E! the incredible role that family has played in her life. From her grandfather, Buster, to her father, Bruce, husband Chris Martin and her two children Apple and Moses, the actress and her inner circle make it quite clear that family will always come first for the blonde beauty.

Paltrow also candidly reveals the difficult times she faced after losing both her grandfather and father and speaks openly about the post-partum depression she experienced after the birth of her second child.

Gwyneth explains, "You don't want anybody to know that you're depressed or crying all the time, there's this shame that we bring to it and it's incredibly debilitating and scary and you just don't feel like yourself."

The E! Entertainment Special: Gwyneth Paltrow premieres on December 22 at 10:00 PM, ET/PT only on E!