Gwyneth Paltrow Finds Country Fans Are ‘Like Family’

Even though she was only playing a country music superstar in 'Country Strong,' Gywneth Paltrow got close enough to hardcore country fans to experience their ardency, and she liked it ... a lot.

"I remember Faith [Hill] telling me in country music people really feel like they know you. For better or worse, it's really hard to make a mistake in country music or get a divorce or have a scandal, because they feel like you shouldn't be doing that kind of thing," Gywneth told The Boot during a recent Los Angeles press stop for 'Country Strong,' which also stars Faith's husband Tim McGraw. "But they are also there for you until the bitter end. It was such an education, because in the world that I know better, people are fickle: they like this band, they like that band. This is like 'I love Tim McGraw for life. I will buy every Tim McGraw t-shirt that ever comes out.' It's nice. it feels like family in that way."

Gywneth is married to rocker Chris Martin, frontman for Coldplay. While filming concert scenes in her role as Kelly Canter, she got a taste of what her husband and other performers experience, even though her crowd was paid to be there. "[On one song] I go down and am holding their hands. They were amazing," Gywneth says. "They knew the words and the way they were looking at me, I was like, 'I'm going to burst into tears, this is just insane.' I saw why people want to be rock stars. It's this amazing exchange of energy, it's incredible."

Gywneth is also excited that "Country Strong" may appeal to a more mainstream, middle-America audience than some of her other films. "I love that it's not like an inaccessible art movie. I love doing those too, but it's just fun to mix it up," she says. "I feel like this whole other world has opened up to me."

'Country Strong' hits theaters in Los Angeles and Nashville on December 22, and nationwide on January 7.