#SHOWBIZ: Beyond the screen: How Hollywood failed Hayden Panettiere
NEW YORK: Before her untimely passing at age 36, Hayden Panettiere laid bare the heavy toll of child stardom in her candid memoir published earlier this year, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
Hayden Panettiere, the former child star who faced a lifetime of struggles after Hollywood, passed away at 36. In her memoir, she exposed the darkness that often shadows the glitz and glamour of showbiz. Panettiere revealed how she was given "happy pills" at 15 to maintain energy during grueling press tours. She battled alcoholism, substance abuse, and depression, culminating in a stay in rehab in 2020.
Tragedy also struck personally with the death of her brother Jansen in 2023 from heart complications. Despite the pain, she found strength in empathy and determination, likening herself to the resilient fish Dory. Panettiere's life was a whirlwind of roles in Hollywood - from her early soap opera debut at five to her iconic roles in Heroes, Scream, and Nashville.
Her death, just shy of her 37th birthday, left a void in the entertainment world. Friends and co-stars mourned her loss, praising her talent, kindness, and the joy she brought to everyone she knew. Her legacy serves as a somber reminder of the industry's failure to protect its young stars.
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- In her final months, Hayden Panettiere chose to be 'brutally honest' abc.net.au
- Hayden Panettiere's ex Wladimir Klitschko says family in 'profound shock and grief' bbc.co.uk
- Hayden Panettiere 'left this world far too soon,' says ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko abcnews.com
- Wladimir Klitschko says he is in 'profound shock' following death of ex-partner Hayden Panettiere euronews.com
