Viral memes, wine-tasting and ‘big girl pants’: Key moments from Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘hit-and-run’ ski trial

Jurors found Terry Sanderson, 76, was at fault for the collision with Gwyneth Paltrow on the slopes at the luxury Deer Valley Resort near Park City, Utah, back on 26 February 2016

Attorneys for the retired doctor argued that the Hollywood star ploughed into him on the slopes of Flagstaff Mountain at the Deer Valley Resort on 26 February 2016. Mr Sanderson claimed Ms Paltrow slammed into him in a “full body hit” leaving him with a permanent traumatic brain injury that has robbed him of “his enjoyment for life.”

Meanwhile, Ms Paltrow alleged it was Mr Sanderson who crashed into her.

The bombshell trial captured the attention of millions following the case. Several snippets — including the veteran actress’ odd complaint about cameras in the courtroom and reports that Mr Sanderson can no longer “enjoy wine tastings” — have gone viral and been turned into memes.

Here are some of the key moments from the ski collision saga:

Ms Paltrow was mocked for her testimony in her ski collision trial after she gave a bizarre answer when asked how she had suffered as a result of the 2016 crash at issue in the proceedings.

The Hollywood star and Goop mogul took the stand on Friday (24 March) to testify in the civil case.

During her courtroom testimony, Ms Paltrow was asked about the “losses” she had suffered from the crash.

“Well, we lost half a day of skiing,” she dryly responded.

The quote quickly went viral on social media with Twitter users mocking the actor over her response.

Fellow actor Busy Philipps also joined in the roasting, posting a selfie of herself and Jen Tullocon posing with cocktails on Instagram.

She captioned the post with the now-infamous line: “Well, we lost a half day of skiing.”

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Other social media users sarcastically offered “thoughts and prayers” to Paltrow while others posted mocking memes.

“Thoughts and prayers to Gwyneth Paltrow, who suffered the loss of half a day of skiing,” one person tweeted.

Ms Paltrow’s attorneys said that on the day of the collision, she paid nearly $9,000 for her each of her kids’ instructors.

Meanwhile, Mr Sanderson claims the crash left him with “permanent traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and disfigurement”.

Other witnesses for Mr Sanderson have also claimed that he “no longer can enjoy wine tastings” after the collision.

On Tuesday (21 March), Ms Paltrow wore a white sweater and brown trousers. However, there is one particular accessory she opted to wear to the event that has made headlines: Aviator glasses featuring two large lenses with gold end pieces, eye rims, and bridge.

A person on Twitter wrote: “Gwyneth Paltrow showed up for court wearing the most ‘I’m an evil rich c-word’ glasses you’re going to see.”

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Other people claimed that her glasses were similar to the signature spectacles worn by serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the “Milwaukee Cannibal”, who committed the murder and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.

“I like her serial killer vibe,” one person commented, while another added: “Jeffrey Dahmer meets Gwyneth Paltrow.”

The Hollywood star has told the court that it was Mr Sanderson who caused the accident by skiing into the back of her as she made her way down the mountain.

She explained to the jury exactly what she believed happened when she finally took to the witness stand on Friday (24 March).

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“His body pressed into my back so I froze, I don’t know how far the skis came through but I felt his body pressing against my back,” the Oscar-winning actor told the court in Utah on Friday.

“There was a body pressing against me and there was a very strange, grunting noise,” Ms Paltrow said. “My brain was trying to make sense of what was happening.”

And she added: “I thought, is this a practical joke? Is someone doing something perverted? This is very strange.”

Ms Paltrow was quick to tell the court that she was not in any way accusing Mr Sanderson of sexual assault.

“I was trying to put together what could possibly be going on behind me,” she added.

She told the court that she did not remember screaming at Mr Sanderson after the accident but had been “very angry at what had happened.”

On Thursday (23 March), attorney Steve Owens asked the judge whether Ms Paltrow’s team could bring treats for the bailiffs in gratitude for their service.

Last week, Judge Kent Holmberg told the defence that the court would help accommodate Ms Paltrow’s transitions from her vehicle to the courtroom to avoid disturbances by press waiting in the parking lot to snap a picture of the star.

“Private security for my client wanted to bring in treats for the bailiffs for how helpful they’ve been,” Mr Owens said. “So, I wanted to do that transparently and see if there are any objections.”

Mr Sanderson’s attorneys then objected to the request, arguing that the defence did not fill them in before raising the request to the judge.

“OK, there’s an objection so thank you, but no thank you,” the judge ordered. “If the parties decide to do that later, that’s fine, too.”

Ms Paltrow was branded a “prima donna” for complaining about cameras pointing at her during her trial for a ski collision.

Before the second day of proceedings began in Park City, Utah, on Wednesday (21 March), attorneys for the Goop founder argued that her privacy was being disturbed by a camera inside the courtroom pointing directly at her face and paparazzi waiting for her in the parking lot.

“We have a new camera directed at my client right there,” attorney Steve Owens said. “This has been a [continuing] problem, for instance, reporters being in front of my client’s car going out yesterday, cameras in her face.”

He continued: “I’m mad, I don’t want reporters to make changes without informing [the judge].”

Judge Holmberg deemed the complaint valid and said the placement of the camera had indeed gone against the court’s decorum orders, which only allow a photojournalist with the Associated Press and a videographer with CourtTV to document the proceedings.

Reacting to Ms Paltrow’s requests, Twitter users said she needs to “put on [her] big girl pants,” claiming that her demands are “petty” and “entitled” as other defendants don’t have a say in the way media broadcast their trials.

“#GwynethPaltrow‘s stone face is hard to figure out. The camera issue is kind of petty to me. It is what it is and may not play well with the jury. Hell she makes a living on camera. #getoveryourself” user @DEWsMARSHmallow tweeted.

“Wow. #GwynethPaltrow is a prima Donna in this trial. The objection to her being on camera is silly,” @deniseparsons agreed.

Another user mocked Ms Paltrow’s sudden aversion to cameras, pointing out her decades-long acting career in Hollywood.

“[A]ward-winning actress #GwynethPaltrow has an issue being on camera,” they tweeted.

Attorney Stephen Owens made the admission after his cross-examination of Polly Sanderson Grasham, who had testified as a witness for her father.

Mr Owens and Ms Sanderson Grasham had been involved in a tense questioning after she testified that her father had become angry and short-tempered after the accident.

The lawyer rejected her claims and pointed to a deposition in which her sister, Jenny, had stated that her father was abusive, and asked if her sister was a “liar.”

She denied that her father had abused her sister, but conceded he had tried to “mould” her, and told the lawyer that “sometimes we experience events differently.”

Following a break in Thursday’s proceedings, Mr Owens directly apologised to Ms Sanderson Grasham, who had broken down on the stand.

“I need to apologize, I was being an ass earlier,” he told her. “It was wrong for me to triangulate you, your dad, your sister, and your mom. I ask for your forgiveness.”

On Friday (24 March), Mr Sanderson’s daughter Shae Sanderson was called to the stand by his attorneys. She was shown a text message her father had sent in the immediate aftermath of the ski crash.

“Whitney had me entertained while probing me with questions to evaluate my senses. A dedicated outdoor person and house lover from Michigan,” Mr Sanderson texted, along with a picture of a park employee. “She also took me down to the toboggan by herself and won the DV Women Downhill race contest. A sweetheart”

Asked whether she remembered the text exchange, she said: “I recognize this woman’s smile and I do remember he had an awful day but this woman came to his rescue,” Ms Sanderson testified. “She was his angel and took care of him finally, after a long time of being ignored in the mountain.”

Her response prompted Ms Paltrow to shake her head in disapproval, while her counsel objected to the remarks. The star’s attorneys have claimed during cross-examination and opening arguments that it was Mr Sanderson who rammed into their client.

Judge Holmberg then ordered that Ms Sanderson’s comment should be stricken and disregarded by the jury.