Paltrow rose to international fame with her portrayal of Viola de Lesseps in the romantic period comedy-drama film Shakespeare in Love (1998),[1] which earned her many accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Actress, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy, the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress, and a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

For her performance in the film Proof (2005), she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama, and for the romantic drama film Two Lovers (2008), she was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.

In 2011, she starred as Holly Holliday on the musical comedy-drama television series Glee,[3] which won her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.

She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for the children's audiobook Brown Bear and Friends (2008).

She made her West End theatre debut in the David Auburn play Proof (2003) earning a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress nomination.