IT’S OFFICIAL, Gwyneth Paltrow is the world’s most beautiful woman of 2013.

The 40-year-old Iron Man star topped People magazine's annual list, pushing Ray actress Kerry Washington into second place and Les Miserables’ Amanda Seyfried into third.

Gwyneth has reprised her role as flame-haired Pepper Potts in Iron Man 3 but after hitting 40 last year she is balancing work and family life.

In this third instalment of the Iron Man franchise she appears opposite Robert Downey Jr’s billionaire-inventor-superhero Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.

“I’d taken a few years off and was at home having kids, and there was no script so I was really flying blind,” she said.

“I didn’t know anything about comics or the movie we were going to do but Robert and Jon Favreau talked me into doing it.”

Gwyneth is married to Coldplay’s Chris Martin and they have two children Apple, eight, and seven-year-old Moses.

She turned 40 last September.

“When I was 39 I was freaking out about it but when I woke up on my birthday I was like, ‘Oh this is fine, yeah I like this,’” she told Later.

“I felt empowered by everything that I’d achieved and I have two healthy children.”

In recent years Paltrow has spent less time on the big screen and started the popular lifestyle website Goop, even turning her hand to writing cookery books.

“You know, I really like the balance I have now in finding one really interesting film a year to do around the family schedule and my business life,” she added.

“I don’t think I’d ever want to give up acting to only do business but I’m very stimulated by my website.

“I’m really happy at home, so I’ve got to find things where I’m really going to learn something or push myself to the edge of my capabilities.”

Gwyneth said husband Chris would make a joke of her award.

She said she was normally in jeans and a T-shirt around the house and not wearing make-up.

The star credits her workout routine for keeping her looking young and feeling strong.

She uses the Tracy Anderson Method, with the fitness regime’s other adherents including Madonna, Nicole Richie, Courteney Cox, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.

Iron Man 3 is out now - get showing times for local cinemas here

This feature is taken from Later, our brand new reviews and entertainment pull-out. Don't miss it along with your Seven Days Magazine inside Saturday's Daily Echo!