Apple Martin has spoken out after claims she was expelled from school for bullying began circulating across social media.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The 21-year-old daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin took to Instagram on Monday (16 February) to shut down what she described as a “completely false” narrative.
“Hi! I didn’t wanna respond but this narrative is completely false and has gotten so out of hand,” she wrote in a comment that she later reshared to her Instagram Story.
The rumours alleged that Martin had been dismissed from a Los Angeles school for bullying — claims that began spreading online two years after she graduated from high school. The speculation gained renewed traction following viral footage from the 2024 Paris Le Bal des Débutantes.
In the clip, Martin was perceived by some viewers as attempting to upstage another debutante during an impromptu photo shoot. She was also filmed appearing to roll her eyes while entering the exclusive gala arm-in-arm with Count Leo Henckel von Donnersmarck.
Addressing the school expulsion allegations directly, Martin clarified that she has never been expelled from any school, particularly not for “bullying”.
“I completely understand ppl not liking me and that is okay! The internet is a place where ppl can share their opinions. But this rumour is completely untrue, I am not that type of person and anyone who is close to me knows that️.”
She added a caption atop the screengrab of her original comment: “Just a quick little message from myself.”
It remains unclear where she initially posted the response before resharing it.
The Vanderbilt University student has previously found herself at the centre of online debate following the Le Bal footage. However, one of the young women featured in the viral video was quick to defend her at the time. Aliénor Loppin de Montmort told People in 2024: “[Apple’s] genuinely the nicest girl ever! She really doesn’t deserve an ounce of what she’s getting. She was the nicest girl ever towards not only me but all the debs!”
A source close to Paltrow also dismissed the criticism in comments to the Daily Mail, stating: “Apple’s more playful and fun and she’s really a total girls’ girl.”
They added that she “would never mean to take the spotlight from anyone, that was not her intention” and insisted that to “characterise her as a mean girl is very untrue.”
“She really had such a wonderful evening and I feel bad that this is even taking away from that because it was such an uplifting evening for her and the other girls,” the source continued.
Martin even appeared to poke fun at the backlash at the time in a TikTok video filmed with friends.
“I don’t know how anyone has a problem with us. We are such a delight,” the trio mouthed in a playful, pre-recorded voiceover.
“We are two of the funniest girls and I know us, like offline,” one friend added as the clip cut to an image of Ava Crox, who had originally shared the debut video.
“When I tell you, there aren’t two more caring, charitable, generous, kind …” the video continued.
Despite the renewed wave of speculation, Martin’s latest statement makes her stance clear: the expulsion claims are unfounded.
Featured image credit: Instagram/applemartin/gwynethpaltrow (screenshots)
