After CEO and HR executive resign following a viral moment at a Coldplay concert, Paltrow steps in to help Astronomer shift focus back to business—with a clever twist of humor.
In the wake of a viral kiss cam controversy involving two top executives, tech company Astronomer has taken an unconventional and star-studded approach to damage control — enlisting Gwyneth Paltrow as a “temporary spokesperson.”
The move comes just weeks after CEO Andy Byron and HR executive Kristin Cabot — both reportedly married — were caught on camera at a Coldplay concert in an intimate moment that sparked widespread social media scrutiny. During the July 15 show at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin—Paltrow’s ex-husband—joked mid-performance, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” after the camera panned to Byron with his arms wrapped around Cabot.
The moment quickly went viral, prompting both Byron and Cabot to resign from Astronomer, which later issued a statement reinforcing its expectations around leadership and accountability. “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” the company said.
But Astronomer didn’t stop at corporate statements. In a bold PR pivot, the company released a tongue-in-cheek video featuring Gwyneth Paltrow herself. Dressed in business casual and seated at a desk, the Goop founder addressed the public with mock seriousness:
“I’ve been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300-plus employees at Astronomer,” she said, acknowledging the flood of questions the company had received since the scandal unfolded.
The video humorously sidesteps the controversy, instead focusing on what Astronomer actually does:
“Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow, unifying the experience of running data, ML and AI pipelines at scale,” Paltrow quipped when asked, “OMG! What the actual f—?”
In another clever redirection, she alluded to the company’s upcoming Beyond Analytics event in September, before wrapping with a succinct closing:
“We will now be returning to what we do best, which is delivering game-changing results for our customers. Thank you for your interest in Astronomer.”
This unexpected blend of celebrity charm and corporate poise has helped steer the conversation back toward Astronomer’s core mission — even as the internet buzzes over the scandal. Pete DeJoy, Astronomer’s cofounder and Chief Product Officer, has since stepped in as interim CEO.
As for the concert that started it all, it has now become a defining pop culture moment — one where tech, celebrity, and viral drama converged. And thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow, Astronomer may have just turned one of its most uncomfortable chapters into a masterclass in PR reinvention.