KEY POINTS:
Gwyneth Paltrow is in serious damage control mode after claiming comments made in a Spanish press conference got lost in translation.
The American actress raised ire in her homeland yesterday after reports surfaced that she had called British people more civilised and intelligent than Americans.
According to Portuguese daily newspaper, Diario de Noticias, the 34-year-old actress said: "I love the English lifestyle, it's not as capitalistic as America.
"People don't talk about work and money, they talk about interesting things at dinner.
"I like living here because I don't fit into the bad side of American psychology. The British are much more intelligent and civilised than the Americans."
However, Paltrow has denied the ever making the comments, telling People magazine she gave a press conference in Spanish to reporters and had been misquoted.
"I felt so upset to be completely misconstrued and I never, ever would have said that," the Oscar-winner told People.
"I definitely did not say that I think the British are more intelligent and civilised than Americans. I am a New York girl, that's how I always think of myself and see myself."
The mother of two went on to explain: "This is what I said. I said that Europe is a much older culture and there's a difference. I always say in America, people live to work and in Europe, people work to live. There are positives in both.
"Obviously I need to go back to seventh-grade Spanish!"
The incident is not the first time Paltrow has landed herself in hot water over unpatriotic comments.
In 2004, she came under fire from the British public after complaining at length to US magazine Marie Claire about London's dirty streets, terrible customer service and depressing weather.
- NZHERALD STAFF
