Hayden Panettiere attacks critics with unclear language after controversial interview
Hayden Panettiere attempted to set the record straight after fans questioned her speaking style and subsequent mental health and sobriety in a recent interview.
Panettiere, 35, was criticized for her slurred pronunciation as she discussed myriad topics, including the death of her late brother in 2023, in a video that has since gone viral on the internet.
“I want to take a moment to address the controversy surrounding a recent interview I did with PEOPLE Magazine,” she shared on Instagram on Sunday. “It’s unbelievable that I’m even in this position, but I feel compelled to address it in a place where I won’t be criticized for how fast or slow I speak.”
Hayden Panettiere became agoraphobic and experienced rapid weight gain after the sudden death of his brother
Hayden Panettiere defended herself against online critics. (Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic)
The “Heroes” actress admitted that her slurred speech during the filmed conversation with the broadcaster was due to exhaustion and lack of sleep.
“I hadn’t slept for two days before the shoot because one of my dogs was recovering from emergency surgery,” she wrote. “It was an 8-hour shoot followed by an on-camera interview that was supposed to last an hour. The interview started well, and for the sake of completeness, the beginning is not included in the version that PEOPLE Magazine published.
HAYDEN PANETTIERE TALKS ABOUT HIS SECRET OPIOID AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN THE PAST: “I WAS AT THE BOTTOM”
“I was exhausted. My representative ended the interview early when it became clear that I was getting weaker – especially as the topic became more serious. We asked the interviewer if we could repeat it another day or do a follow-up interview via Zoom.”
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Panettiere was “assured” that another interview was not necessary and was told that she had given “an emotional and heartfelt interview.”
“I hadn’t slept for two days before the shoot because one of my dogs was recovering from emergency surgery.”
“We were also told they would edit it and that it would be a beautiful article,” she said. According to industry standards, she noted, “the magazine does not give approval for pictures or video interviews before they are published. We see the interview when it goes live.”
Panettiere acknowledged that “grief looks different for everyone” before noting that her decision on whether to take medication was “nobody else’s business and a matter between me and my doctor.”
Panettiere was assured that she gave a “candid” interview. (Getty Images)
“I’m doing interviews to promote my new film because I’m proud of it,” she said. “The real issue here is the toxicity of social media and a news cycle driven by clickbait. Mental health is so important and I hope those reading this now understand that what you say behind a computer screen can have a damaging effect on someone.”
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“I am so grateful to those of you who have stood by me in the midst of this chaos. Like I said, I’m still a work in progress. We all are.”
The actress from “Against All Rules” spoke for the first time about the loss of her younger brother Jansen. She revealed that his death in February 2023 not only put a strain on her mentally, but also physically.
“When my little brother died, my body did something I had never seen before: Within a matter of days, I basically just swelled up. I swelled up,” she said. “Stress and cortisol coursing through the body can do that. I tried everything – everything unhealthy, everything healthy – no matter what I ate, no matter what I did. My body… it was like it was protecting itself, shielding itself from the world.”
Hayden’s brother Jansen died in February 2023. He was 28. (Amanda Edwards)
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Panettiere struggled with agoraphobia after his funeral, saying she “lived in sweatpants and T-shirts” while finding it difficult to leave the house to meet friends.
“I was desperate. I wanted to keep working, but I didn’t want to be unhappy on set. And I didn’t want to go to fittings, look in the mirror and hate everything I saw about myself,” she said.
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A personal trainer and her own mental strength helped Panettiere face her demons head-on, and since then she has been able to let go of “the stress and high expectations” she placed on herself.
