Being an A-lister has its perks, obviously, but it also means you’re never far from intense scrutiny – and the same goes for celeb children.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s daughter Apple Martin has broken her silence on the criticism she’s faced over her years growing up in the public eye, which intensified last year after Marin was accused of being a ‘mean girl’ by tabloids and trolls alike. 

Speaking to Interview Magazine, Apple was asked if she ever reads ‘upsetting stuff’ about herself on the internet. She explained that she avoids looking at social media comments ‘like the plague’ since she attended the Chanel haute couture show at Paris Fashion Week in 2023.

‘After the Chanel show, I did [read upsetting comments]. Then I quickly realized why everybody has always said, “Don’t do it.” Because even if you see a million positive things, there can be one thing that absolutely wrecks you,’ she said. At the time, Apple’s debut at the show generated commentary, with people online labelling her a ‘nepo baby’ – referring to a term coined on TikTok to refer to a child with one or more famous parents who is pursuing a similar career in Hollywood.

Apple went on to admit that reading comments about herself online takes a toll on her mental health. ‘So, I’ve stopped now and I avoid it like the plague, because I know myself and I know that if I see stuff that isn’t true and that’s really upsetting to me, I’m going to be like, “Oh my god, I should never go out in public again”,’ she said.

Apple found herself at the centre of scrutiny after an appearance at a Debutante Ball in Paris last year. Apple was one of 20 women at the La Bal des Debutantes, an event where women between the ages of 16 and 22 are introduced into society. Previous celebs who have attended include Lily Collins and Margaret Qualley.

However, things turned sour after a video of Apple and fellow debutante Aliénor Loppin de Montmort went viral on TikTok, sparking cruel criticism that Apple was a ‘mean girl.’ In the video, Loppin poses for her photo, and then Apple jokingly steps in and confidently poses for the cameras. Some claimed that in the video, Martin tried to get Loppin de Montmort out of the way in order to be pictured by the cameras.

The online rumour mill went into overdrive, with one social media user suggesting the move was ‘giving Regina George’ and another calling Apple ‘rude.’ But Loppin de Montmort quickly dispelled the rumours, telling People ‘[Apple’s] genuinely the nicest girl ever! She really doesn’t deserve an ounce of what she’s getting.’

Apple also later shared a TikTok where she seemed to joke about the incident. ‘I mean… I don’t know how anyone has a problem with us,’ she said in a voiceover while posing with a friend. Her friend mouths ‘we are such a delight we are two of the funniest girls’, while Apple stands behind her giving her a playful side eye. The clip continues: ‘And I know us offline, when I tell you there aren’t two more generous charitable kind…’

Apple’s mum Gwyneth also addressed the debutante ball in an interview with Vanity Fair, telling the publication that Apple has ‘always had a lot of trepidation around being in the public eye.’

Apple didn’t address the Debutante backlash directly in the interview. However, she did admit that she’s now focused on the positives and is coming to terms with the downsides of being in the public eye.

‘I’ve tried to be like, “People are going to say stuff, and that’s okay”. And like everybody, there’s going to be stuff that isn’t true and stuff that is upsetting, and all I can do is just be the best that I can be and be with the people I love and not read random, crazy conspiracies.’

In the interview, Apple did get candid about the realities of growing up as the child of two A-listers, calling the experience a ‘surveillance state.’ However, despite living her whole life in the public eye, she admitted she still gets ‘nervous’ about making a mistake. ‘It’s interesting because I grew up with that uneven balance of getting out of the airport with my mom and being bombarded with cameras, and then just being a normal kid. I remember I read Discipline and Punish [by Michel Foucault], which is a great book, but talking about the surveillance state—I feel like I’ve grown up with that, which is really scary and makes me very anxious about making mistakes,’ she said.

‘So I was really discouraged from doing anything in the public eye. Also, I was like, ‘I don’t think we need another celebrity child in the world.’ I just try to do what feels right and block out anything regarding me in the news to the best of my ability.And I’m getting a lot better at being like, “F*** it.” I’m not going  to be scared. I just want to do what seems fun and figure my life out.’

Apple has made headlines since the day she was born in 2004, thanks to her unusual name. In an interview with Ophrah Winfrey, Gwyneth spoke about her choice of name. ‘When we were first pregnant, her daddy said, “If it’s a girl I think her name should be Apple. ” It sounded so sweet, and it conjured such a lovely picture for me, you know,’ she said. ‘Apples are so sweet and they’re wholesome and it’s biblical, and I just thought it sounded so lovely.’

Gwyneth and Chris, married in 2003 and had a second child together, son Moses, in 2006. In 2014, they announced their ‘conscious uncoupling’ and officially divorced in 2016. They co-parent Apple and Moses and have an amicable relationship. Speaking about her close relationship with Apple in 2023, Gywneth told People ‘I mean, she’s just so much fun to be with,’ continuing ‘It’s so wonderful having a daughter because you have this amazing best friend and we like to do the same stuff, and she’s so funny and she’s so smart. It’s amazing.’