Days After Coldplay Scandal, Astronomer Hires Chris Martin’s Ex-Wife Gwyneth Paltrow As “Temporary Spokesperson” Gwyneth Paltrow, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin’s ex-wife, has teamed up with AI startup Astronomer to poke fun at the viral kiss cam scandal involving former CEO Andy Byron and ex-HR head Kristin Cabot.

Days After Coldplay Scandal, Astronomer Hires Chris Martin’s Ex-Wife Gwyneth Paltrow As “Temporary Spokesperson” Gwyneth Paltrow, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin’s ex-wife, has teamed up with AI startup Astronomer to poke fun at the viral kiss cam scandal involving former CEO Andy Byron and ex-HR head Kristin Cabot.

 

Just days after the viral “kiss cam” scandal at a Coldplay concert that rocked AI startup Astronomer, the company has made a daring — some say cheeky — PR move: hiring Gwyneth Paltrow, ex‑wife of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, as a “very temporary” spokesperson.

The scandal that sparked the move

At a recent Coldplay show in Massachusetts, the “kiss cam” segment turned attention toward Astronomer’s then–CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot. The two were shown in close embrace, apparently surprised by the camera, and tried to duck or shield their faces. During the concert, Chris Martin cracked: “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” amplifying media speculation and sparking a viral moment.

In the days that followed, Astronomer put both Byron and Cabot on leave pending an internal investigation. Eventually both executives resigned amid mounting pressure and scrutiny. In the vacuum, Astronomer’s cofounder Pete DeJoy stepped in as interim CEO.

Enter Gwyneth Paltrow

Seeking to absorb the heat and shift the narrative, Astronomer released a short, tongue‑in‑cheek video featuring Gwyneth Paltrow. In it, she introduces herself: “Hi, I’m Gwyneth Paltrow. I’ve been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300‑plus employees at Astronomer.”

Rather than addressing the scandal head-on, Paltrow sidesteps awkward questions. On the screen, a question flashes: “OMG! What the actual f—”, which is cut short. She pivots to praising Astronomer’s core business: “Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow. Unifying the experience of running data, ML and AI pipelines at scale.” She is next asked about the company’s social media team, but that question is also interrupted, and she ends by promoting an upcoming event: “There’s still room available at our Beyond Analytics event in September.” Her closing: “We will now be returning to what we do best — delivering game‑changing results for our customers. Thank you for your interest in Astronomer.”

Strategy, reaction, and risks

The move is clearly a PR gambit: by leveraging the ironic connection — Paltrow’s past marriage to Chris Martin — Astronomer leans into the absurdity of the moment rather than trying to hide from it. The internet’s reaction has been largely amused and intrigued: many hailed it as “a PR masterclass” or “savage,” applauding the company’s willingness to poke fun at itself.

But using a celebrity — and one directly connected, albeit historically, to the scandal’s setting — is also delicate. Some observers warn that the stunt could be seen as trivializing or deflecting responsibility. Others wonder whether it distracts from real issues about accountability, corporate culture, or leadership oversight.

Still, from a damage‑control vantage, this tactic reshapes the narrative: instead of appearing defensive or evasive, Astronomer now appears self‑aware, irreverent, and unafraid of the spotlight. Whether it yields long-term reputation benefits remains to be seen.