Gwyneth Paltrow's Staying Away From Italy  6/14/06

Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow is staying away from Italy because something bad always happens to her when she visits the European nation.

During a recent flight to Venice, Paltrow had a scare when the plane had some technical problems, leaving the shaken actress convinced that 'Italy didn't like her'.

The Shakespeare in Love star says, "The captain came on and explained that there was a problem with the plane. All the on-board computers had failed, and we had to land. We did, and thank God everything was fine, but there were ambulances and fire trucks on the runway and I realized what a close call it had been.

"I have this strange thing with Italy. Every time I'm there something bad happens. I was in Italy when I got news that my grandfather had cancer.

"Then I was doing The Talented Mr. Ripley over there and heard that my father was terminally ill.

"I finally got the courage to go back to Italy for my 30th birthday and my father died while I was in Rome.

"Oh, and lightning struck my hotel one night. I don't think Italy wants me there."