Justin Chatwin, a co-star of the late Hayden Panettiere in her final film, "Sleepwalker," recalled her appearing "struggling" and "really lonely" during production.
Panettiere died at 36 following an apparent overdose. Chatwin, 43, told People that the intense subject matter of "Sleepwalker," which was released in January, might have contributed to Panettiere's demeanor on set. The film's logline describes Panettiere's character as "a grieving mother ... haunted by the tragic loss of her daughter in a car accident that left her abusive husband in a coma."
"She opened up to me about a lot of things," Chatwin said. "I could tell she was struggling, and I was like, 'I don't think it's this movie.' There's a handful of women that I've worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely."
Chatwin noted that he had previously worked with Panettiere on the series "Heroes" and observed a difference in her during the filming of "Sleepwalker." He added, "I've been sober for 15 years, so I know this world of addiction, and Hollywood - it takes, and it takes from youth."
Panettiere had previously spoken about her struggles with postpartum depression and substance abuse, leading her to grant her former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, full custody of their daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, in 2018. Chatwin shared that Panettiere discussed her "struggles that she's had with trauma" and her time in rehabilitation with him during the film's production.
Despite her personal challenges, Chatwin praised Panettiere as a "sweet" person with a "beautiful heart," noting her continued kindness towards others. "We're trained to be actors, so we're acting on set, you know?" he said. "We're trained to be on, and I really liked spending time with her because she took that off, and she was authentic with me about her life and she opened up about her struggles with addiction."
Brandon Auman, the director and writer of "Sleepwalker," expressed his devastation at Panettiere's death, calling her a "bright, open, numinous spirit." He reflected on their time on set, stating that Panettiere taught him a great deal through her openness and honesty, which she brought to her character. "I'll miss her forever," Auman said.