Kristin Cabot criticized Gwyneth Paltrow and Ryan Reynolds for making light of her viral moment with Astronomer CEO Andy Byron at a Coldplay concert.
Cabot gained attention in August 2025 when, as the head of HR at the tech company Astronomer, she was seen on a kiss cam getting close to Byron, the CEO who was recently separated. In the video widely shared online, Byron had his arms around Cabot but quickly ducked out of the camera’s view, while Cabot turned away to hide her face once they realized they were being filmed.
Following the incident, Paltrow, 53, who was once married to Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin, participated in a mock advertisement as the “temporary spokesperson” for Astronomer. The company’s attempt to joke about the situation, including Paltrow’s involvement, was not well-received by Cabot.
In an interview posted on Tuesday, March 17, Cabot expressed her disappointment, saying, “I was really let down by Gwyneth, someone whose company [Goop] promotes the empowerment and well-being of women. I can’t understand why she felt the need to escalate the situation. It felt hypocritical and unnecessary.”
Cabot mentioned that Paltrow conveyed a message indicating that she had been told Cabot and Byron approved the commercial. Paltrow later clarified that she “wouldn’t have done it” if she had known Cabot wasn’t comfortable with the idea.
Although Cabot acknowledged Paltrow’s clarification, an awkward moment arose during the interview when Cabot avoided explaining why she hadn’t replied to Paltrow’s email regarding the situation.
“Honestly, [Coldplay] is kind of ruined for me now,” Cabot admitted. “I’m not the biggest fan anymore.”
During the interview, Cabot also criticized Reynolds, 49, for his involvement in a separate ad about the incident. She stated, “He produced and created the ad, and his wife recently experienced something similar.” Cabot referenced Blake Lively’s ongoing legal issues with Justin Baldoni over sexual harassment, and found it “astounding” that Reynolds chose to participate in the commercial.
The world took notice in July 2025 when a Coldplay Kiss Cam captured a surprising moment between two concert attendees. During the performance at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, the Kiss Cam showed Astronomer executives Kristin Cabot and Andy Byron embracing — then quickly trying to avoid the cameras upon realizing they were being filmed. […]
Us Weekly has reached out to Paltrow and Reynolds for comment.
Cabot has previously opened up about how her life was altered by the scandal. “I took accountability and gave up my career for that. That was the price I chose to pay,” she told The New York Times in December 2025. “I want my kids to understand that you can make mistakes and really mess up, but you don’t have to live in fear for them.”
After stepping down from her role as Chief People Officer, Cabot recounted receiving numerous death threats following the concert.
“Things were already really bad, and that’s when everything fell apart,” she explained, highlighting her family’s concern for her safety. “My kids feared for my life and their own.”
