Evan Rachel Wood mourns Hayden Panettiere's death, says 'don’t send your children to Hollywood'
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA: Evan Rachel Wood has paid a heartfelt tribute to Hayden Panettiere following her tragic death while highlighting the pressures faced by child stars in Hollywood and the entertainment industry.
Panettiere was found unresponsive in South Carolina on Sunday, August 16, and was later pronounced dead. She had been open about her struggles with substance abuse, which began as a teen in the entertainment industry, and entered treatment in 2020.
Evan Rachel Wood mourns Hayden Panettiere and reflects on child stardom
Wood shared multiple Instagram Stories on Tuesday, August 18, remembering Panettiere and reflecting on the challenges of growing up in Hollywood. The first story featured multiple pictures of Panettiere alongside a song devoted to her.
The second contained a quote warning, “Don't send your children to Hollywood”. The third showed her with ex Brian Hickerson and included a quote from Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel.
The quote read, “This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson, [...] There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him.”
A fourth post contained Panettiere speaking about her troubles in Hollywood. Wood has previously spoken about the advice she would give parents of child actors. During an interview for the 'In the Envelope' awards podcast, she advised parents not to immediately put talented children in front of cameras.
“I would say if your child is showing signs of talent and really seems to possess something unique, it’s not going anywhere, so there’s no need to throw them in front of a camera right away,” she said.
Although Wood first faced the camera at 11 for the film 'Digging in China,' she argued that children need to develop their personality and craft before entering the limelight. She explained that actors draw upon life experience to authentically inhabit roles, while children have not experienced enough life to draw upon.
Hayden Panettiere’s tragic death and lasting Hollywood career
Officials are investigating Panettiere’s sudden death at 36 in South Carolina. At around 1:50 pm local time on Sunday, August 16, Greenville police and EMS personnel responded to a report of an “unresponsive female.”
Medical assistance was administered, but she was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Greenville Police Department is investigating the case with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. The preliminary investigation has not indicated "signs of foul play" or suspicious circumstances.
An acquaintance of Panettiere placed the 911 call, while police noted that no further details were being released at that time. Her longtime representative confirmed her death on Sunday in a statement from her father, Alan Panettiere.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” it read.
She began her professional acting career in 1994 with ABC’s 'One Life to Live.' She later starred in several shows and films as a child star before landing a high-profile role on 'Heroes' as a cheerleader with self-healing powers.
From 2012 to 2018, she starred opposite Connie Britton across all six seasons of ABC’s 'Nashville.' Following 'Heroes,' she appeared in 'Scream 4' in 2011 and reprised her role in 2023’s 'Scream 6'.
