Hayden Panettiere sparks concern over her well-being again as she appears to slur in 'Today' interview

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hayden Panettiere's recent interview on 'Today with Hoda & Jenna' has sparked concerns as she appeared to be "slurring words" and displayed what some described as "delayed speech."

This comes just days after the 'Heroes' actress responded to similar concerns raised about her interview with People magazine.

Hayden Panettiere opens up about grief and stress following brother's death on 'Today with Hoda & Jenna'

Hayden Panettiere joined hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on Tuesday, September 24 to promote her latest movie, 'Amber Alert'. 

During the interview, the actress opened up about her mental health and how grief has affected her body following the sudden death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, in February 2023.

Jenna asked the actress how she has managed her mental health while also having public conversations about it. In response, Hayden admitted, "I thought it would be easier."

She added, "I thought that people would have empathy, was going to be the only thing that was there, but I had no idea how my body, my mind, was going to react to grief... It’s wild what stress and grief and all these hormones and running through your body can do."

"I mean, make you faint. My mother, when she got stressed—she’s gonna kill me for saying this—she used to get knots on her head," revealed the 35-year-old actress. 

Hayden continued, emphasizing the various ways that stress can manifest and that no one should feel ashamed or judged for how their body reacts to emotional turmoil. When the conversation shifted to her brother’s death, the actress admitted she still struggles to process it.

"I don’t know that I fully have," shared Hayden, adding, "Maybe the five stages of grief is for people who have had a heartbreak or find out some bad news. Yes, there are five stages, but there’s so much more in between... when you lose somebody that you saw in all of the important moments in your life, standing right next to you, it just rocks your world."

However, her appearance sparked a wave of comments online, with viewers expressing worry about her wellbeing as they did during her previous People interview.

Hayden Panettiere responded to concerns over her People interview

Hayden Panettiere sparked concerns about her health as fans noted she was "slurring her speech" and struggling to keep her eyes open during the People interview, according to Daily Mail.

The 'Scream 4' actress, who has battled addiction to alcohol and opioids, was discussing the loss of her brother, Jansen Panettiere, and her relationship with her daughter, Kaya.

In the emotional interview, Hayden described Kaya as her "mini-me," and opened up about her struggles with rapid weight gain and self-image issues following Jansen's death, admitting it felt like she "lost half of her soul."

As per the aforementioned outlet, fans and netizens speculated the actress was "clearly not sober" during the interview.

Addressing the concerns in an Instagram post, she explained that the People interview had been edited in a way that did not reflect the full context of her speech.

Hayden clarified that she had been dealing with exhaustion during the interview, which had been filmed after two sleepless nights while caring for her dog, who had undergone emergency surgery.

She also noted that the interview lasted much longer than planned, further explaining that "it’s unfathomable that I’m even in this position, but I feel forced to address it in a space where I won’t be criticized for how fast or slow I speak."

Jansen was found dead at his apartment in Nyack, New York after friends grew concerned when he missed a scheduled meeting, as per to Daily Mail. They discovered him unresponsive, sitting upright in a chair, and immediately began performing CPR. His father, Alan "Skip" Panettiere, arrived shortly after. 

In a statement, the family revealed, "Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen’s sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications."

Hayden Panettiere once again sparks concern following 'Today with Hoda & Jenna' interview

Hayden Panettiere's recent Today interview sparked similar concerns among her fans as the People interview. 

One YouTube user wrote, "Poor girl I pray for her," and another said, "She's definitely on something." 

A person observed, "She's unfortunately on something she keeps repeating herself been through a lot sad," while someone else added, "She isnt slurring. She sounds sick."

"Hayden is clearly not ok. Her slurred speech and intermittent incoherence cannot be ignored. Hoda and Jenna are clearly disturbed by Hayden’s slow and slurred responses. I hope Hayden gets help immediately," wrote one more. 

"She did not seem well during this interview, very concerning. I hope she okay," expressed an individual.

Another person stated, "I know Hayden addressed the comments after the People interview went viral, and people noticed how differently she's speaking and how slowly. She said it was due to not getting enough sleep the night before, but what about now?"

They added, "Even in the clip they played at the beginning of the movie, her voice/speech is different. It's not the same as it was before. She talks more slowly and slurred. I said before and I'll say it again - there is no life in her eyes. Of course, she's dealing with grief, but slurring? Talking slowly?"

"She is so beautiful and she has so much talent. I hope she does recover from anything she may be going through," concluded the fan. 

On the other hand, one shared, "Im so glad she didnt stop giving interviews after the People interview. the public are stupidly comparing Hayden to when she was a teenager. There are so MANY body changes & health changes that could contribute to that."

"That doesnt make her an addict who is abusing. It is entirely possible that shes on medication, but that doesnt make her ANY less capable, valid, or functional," noted the well-wisher. 

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