Hayden Panettiere 'sadly lost her way', says estranged mother: 'I wish she had stayed true to herself'

Lesley Vogel, Hayden Panettiere's estranged mother and former manager, has spoken out publicly for the first time since the actress' death at the age of 36. In an interview with NBC News, Vogel revealed her belief that her talented daughter struggled to remain authentic amidst the pressures of the entertainment industry. She expressed deep regret that things had turned out differently for her daughter.

The comments come after a tumultuous public relationship between mother and daughter, which has been strained for some time. In her 2023 memoir, Panettiere criticized her mother's controlling behavior during Hayden's early career, citing an incident where she was injured in an attempt to avoid missing a work engagement, as well as the pressure to change her appearance.

Vogel dismissed the memoir's publication timing as coincidental to book sales and lamented the difficulty of witnessing her child succumb to self-destructive decisions. She emphasized that Hayden possessed numerous remarkable qualities and wished she had remained true to herself. Vogel and Hayden's younger brother died in 2023, and she finds solace in the thought that they are now united.

Panettiere had recently expressed that she and her mother were not on speaking terms, but remained open to reconciliation. At the time of her passing, her boyfriend, Wladimir Klitschko, and his brother were present at the apartment where she was found.