Chris Martin and Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, has officially hit back
LOS ANGELES — Apple Martin, the 21-year-old daughter of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, has officially hit back at a wave of viral allegations accusing her of “mean girl” behavior and claims that she was expelled from school for bullying.
The controversy, which reached a fever pitch on social media this week, prompted a rare and direct response from the star-kid, who took to her Instagram Stories on Monday, February 16, 2026, to set the record straight.
The Source of the Speculation
The rumors reportedly stemmed from a context-free video clip from a Paris debutante ball Le Bal des Débutantes that resurfaced and went viral. In the footage, some social media users interpreted Martin’s body language and interactions with other attendees as “entitled.”
The online chatter quickly snowballed into more serious, unverified claims, including allegations that she had been expelled from Vanderbilt University (and previously Harvard-Westlake) for bullying classmates. Some extreme versions of the rumor even suggested her behavior had led to a peer’s self-harm claims for which there has been no evidence.
Apple Sets the Record Straight
In a screenshot shared to her Instagram Stories, Apple addressed the “out of hand” narrative with a blunt and firm statement:
“Hi! I didn’t wanna respond but this narrative is completely false and has gotten so out of hand. I have never been expelled from any school, especially not for bullying anyone.”
She continued by acknowledging the pitfalls of digital fame, stating, “I completely understand [people] not liking me and that is okay! The internet is a place where [people] can share their opinions. But this rumor is completely untrue, I am not that type of person and anyone who is close to me knows that.”
Support from Peers
While the internet was quick to judge, those actually present at the events in question have come to Martin’s defense. Aliénor Lopin de Montmort, the fellow debutante seen in the viral video, previously dismissed the “mean girl” labels, calling Apple “genuinely the nicest girl ever” and insisting she was kind to everyone at the ball.
A New Chapter in Hollywood?
The timing of the controversy comes as Apple begins to step more intentionally into the spotlight. In a recent interview with Vogue, she revealed a shift in her career path. Though she previously studied law, history, and sociology, she admitted she is dropping out of law school to pursue acting and dancing.
“I was in that rebellious ‘I don’t wanna be like my parents’ type of phase,” she told the magazine, adding that while she loves musical theater, the idea of being a solo singer like her father is “terrifying.”
By addressing the rumors head-on, Apple seems determined to enter the industry on her own terms, free from the shadow of baseless online scandals.
