Gwyneth Paltrow arrives for the premiere of "Iron Man" at the Leicester Square Odeon cinema in London April 24, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Gwyneth Paltrow stopped making money from films several years ago - with new movie "Iron Man" giving her first pay cheque in six years.

The star admits she got sick of making big budget films and started opting for smaller, independent projects.

But the only downside to the move was she was expected to work for free.

And Paltrow insists that this year's blockbuster Iron Man, with Robert Downey Jr, is the first time she has actually been paid for her services.

She says, "I basically stopped making money from films in 2002. All the things I have done since then have been things I really wanted to do.

"And I have not made money from them."

(China Daily/Agencies April 29, 2008)