Actress Blake Lively shared a poignant tribute to Hayden Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg, urging fans to "be kind" following the recent death of Panettiere. The "It Ends with Us" star took to her Instagram Stories to honor both actresses, who previously starred together in the 2005 Disney film "Ice Princess."
Panettiere died on Sunday at the age of 36 in Greenville, South Carolina. Narcan was reportedly found in the apartment where she died, and sources indicated she suffered an apparent overdose. Her death occurred approximately 18 months after Trachtenberg, who died in February at the age of 39. Trachtenberg's cause of death was later confirmed as complications from diabetes mellitus.
Lively, who shared the screen with Trachtenberg in the hit show "Gossip Girl," posted a montage of clips from "Ice Princess." She captioned the post, "Be. Kind. You never know what others are going through." Lively added, "Thank you to both these women for all the joy you brought so many."
Last year, Lively also paid tribute to Trachtenberg after her death. Reflecting on their first day on the set of "Gossip Girl," Lively described Trachtenberg as "fiercely loyal," "kind," and "deeply sensitive." She recalled Trachtenberg as "electricity" and someone who "cared deeply about her work."
Panettiere and Trachtenberg were established child stars before their roles in "Ice Princess." The film centered on a high schooler, played by Trachtenberg, who discovers a passion for figure skating. Panettiere portrayed Gen, the daughter of a local ice skating rink manager, who eventually forms a bond with the main character.
Following news of Panettiere's death, her "Ice Princess" co-star Kim Cattrall posted a photo of them together on Instagram, writing, "Rest in peace sweet Hayden. Gone far too soon."
Both Panettiere and Trachtenberg launched their careers as child stars, with Trachtenberg appearing in "Harriet the Spy" and Panettiere gaining recognition in "Remember the Titans" alongside Denzel Washington. They later became television icons, with Trachtenberg starring in "Gossip Girl" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and Panettiere in "Heroes" and "Nashville."
Fans also shared their grief on social media. One user on X posted a photo of Panettiere and Trachtenberg from "Ice Princess," expressing sadness over their deaths and noting that they "grew up watching" them. Another user wrote, "Now they are both together."
The Greenville County Sheriff's Office stated that an autopsy for Panettiere had been completed and revealed no signs of trauma. Further investigations are underway to determine her cause of death. It remains unclear if the Narcan found at the scene was used in an attempt to revive Panettiere, though 911 audio indicated she had gone into cardiac arrest following a suspected overdose.
Rosie O'Donnell had previously claimed last month that Trachtenberg was struggling with drug and alcohol addiction before her death. Trachtenberg was found in her New York City apartment. Reports indicated she had recently undergone a liver transplant after battling alcohol issues.