Gwyneth Paltrow Takes On Surprise Role For Astronomer After Viral Video

Astronomer, the New York data tech firm caught up in the Coldplay concert “kiss‑cam scandal,” has hired actress Gwyneth Paltrow for a lighthearted marketing video which capitalizes on the attention driven by two executives caught canoodling at the gig.

The company enlisted the Oscar-winning ex-wife of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin as a “very temporary spokesperson” in the tongue-in-cheek video.

Why It Matters

The clip follows the resignation of Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR chief Kristin Cabot—both pictured in an embrace caught live on a jumbotron during the July 16 concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

The CEO is still married, and Cabot was reportedly previously married to Kenneth Thornby, their divorce being finalized in 2022.

The footage of Byron and Cabot ducking away from the camera, when they realized they were being filmed, quickly went viral. The original video amassed more than 45 million views on TikTok and millions more in reposts across other platforms.

In this Nov. 7, 2015 file photo, Gwyneth Paltrow attends LACMA 2015 Art+Film Gala at LACMA in Los Angeles, Calif.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

What To Know

In the video, posted to X, Paltrow is sitting at a desk and thanks the public for their interest in Astronomer. She says: “I’ve been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300-plus employees at Astronomer.”

She continues: “Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones.”

A question then appears on screen reading: “OMG, what the actual …” Before the final word appears, the video cuts back to Paltrow, who shifts to promoting some of Astronomer’s services.

In a subtle nod to the widespread attention the company has received, Paltrow adds, “We’ve been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation.”

Another question starts to appear on screen, typing out: “How is your social media team holding up?” But before it’s finished, Paltrow interrupts abruptly, announcing that Astronomer has spaces available at an upcoming conference in September.

She closes the video with: “We’ll now be returning to what we do best: delivering game-changing results for our customers.”

Astronomer, a New York-based company, helps companies develop, grow, and analyze products using artificial intelligence.

After Byron resigned, the company said in a statement: “Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.”

Pete DeJoy, who has taken over as interim CEO, admitted on Monday that the company has faced an “unusual and surreal” amount of attention in recent days.

On LinkedIn, he wrote: “While I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name.”