Apple Martin is a “girly girl” and not a “mean girl,” a source close to her mother Gwyneth Paltrow told DailyMail.com after her behavior at a debutante ball raised eyebrows.
“Apple is more playful and fun and she’s really a girly girl,” the source said after Martin, 20, was accused of holding a camera and filming her rolling her eyes at Saturday’s event.
‘It was never her intention to distract anyone’s attention, that was not her intention. Characterizing her as a mean girl is very untrue.
“She really had such a great night and I’m sad that this even takes anything away because it was such an uplifting night for her and the other girls.”
Martin donned a stunning Valentino dress to attend Le Bal des Debutantes in Paris with her Goop tycoon mother and Coldplay singer father Chris Martin
The Vanderbilt student went viral with footage showing her brazenly playing for a photographer’s attention while another participant had her photo taken.
Later, Martin rolled her eyes during the date with Count Leo Cosima Henckel von Donnersmarck.
But the source insisted to DailyMail.com that Martin has a “good relationship” with her aristocratic escort.
“They had cameras with them all day and were playing,” they said.
A source close to Gwyneth Paltrow has hit back, claiming her daughter Apple Martin is a ‘mean girl’ after video emerged of her ‘rude’ behavior at a famous debutante ball in Paris
In one of the videos, Martin appeared to steal the spotlight from a fellow debutante
“It was a joke and again, not snarky, nothing negative,” the source added.
Fans of Martin also rushed to her defense, pointing out that the video may not have been the full picture.
Many also praised her stunning strapless blue haute couture number from Valentino’s 2025 collection.
About Especially with a father like Chris Martin.
“I don’t know for sure because I’m not there, but that’s exactly what I see, and of course a lot of tiktok people like to blow things out of proportion.”
Referring to the now infamous moment where Apple appears to be invading fellow debutants’ photo opportunities, a third wrote: ‘You can CLEARLY see the photographer motioning for her to stop for a photo and she playfully gives him pleasure.
“She seems excited to be outside and was just acting silly. Y’all better leave Chris Martin’s apple alone.’
But a source who knows her well insisted the videos had been taken out of context and that Martin was just joking
Apple’s mother Gwyneth was present to celebrate her along with ex-husband Chris Martin and their son Moses, 18, and her mother Blythe Danner
Martin was joined by her mother, father Chris Martin, brother Moses, 18, and grandmother actress Blythe Danner for the glitzy event.
The family and the other debutantes gathered at the $1,000-a-night Hotel Shangri-la for the ball, where traditional ballroom dancing took place.
While the debutantes take center stage, each of them is paired with a ‘chevalier’, often young men from a similar background, to make their grand entrance at the ball.
Martin’s escort Leo is the son of film director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and Christiane Asschenfeldt, the first international executive director of Creative Commons.
He is the descendant of a large and noble Austro-German family who were central figures of the 2nd Industrial Revolution and spearheaded technological innovations such as mild steel factories, three-height rolling mills and soft drink pulp in Germany.
Martin also took to the floor with her father in a sweet moment that was caught on camera.
The family joined an exclusive list of attendees who were all personally invited by the ball’s host, Ophélie Renouard.
Renouard invites her guests based on their appearance, intelligence and family ties.
Martin was accompanied to the glittering event by Count Leo Cosima Henckel von Donnersmarck, who featured in the ‘eye-roll’ video. However, the source said the two have a good relationship
The event is being billed as a charity fundraiser and will, according to Hello! benefit two entities related to children’s health.
The debutants on the entry list include European royalty as well as the daughters of A-list celebrities.