The `Country Strong` actress - who is married to Coldplay musician Chris Martin, with whom she has two children, Apple, six, and Moses, five - has revealed since she started singing she always has a pint of the traditional Irish stout before she performs live to steady her nerves.

She first developed a taste for the alcoholic beverage when a friend introduced her to it 10 years ago.

She explained to Stylist magazine: "That`s what I always have now before a live performance; a pint of Guinness and a beta blocker. I discovered it a while ago when I had a friend who got married in Ireland and I`ve been in London for eight years now so it was probably a decade ago that I started drinking it.

"I love it; it`s my favourite beer. The first time I had a real Guinness I was like, `This is the most delicious thing I have ever had in my life`. It was a love affair from then on."

The 38-year-old star - who performed `Forget You` alongside Cee Lo Green at the Grammys earlier this year - has also revealed her close friend Beyonce Knowles gave her a crash course in live performance before embarked on her music career.

Gwyneth - who also showed off her singing skills in TV show `Glee` and her latest movie `Country Strong` - added: "Before I went on at the Grammys I had Beyonce in my dressing room and she was just like, `You just have to have fun and let go. You know when we we`re just backstage at a Jay-Z concert and you`re just dancing and having fun? Do that. And don`t think about it, just have a great time`.

"She totally got me through it; she knew what to say and I was like, `You know what? F**k it, I`m just gonna have fun`. And I did. It was really great."
sections: Celebrities