Hayden Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, has detailed the intensive coaching she provided to her daughter, a former child actress, to prepare her for the demands of daytime television. Vogel, who served as Panettiere's manager and acting coach, stated that she taught her daughter how to trigger tears on cue by the age of four. This skill was crucial for a child actor facing scripts with as many as 50 pages of dialogue daily, a factor that contributed to Panettiere's rise in 1990s soap operas.
Panettiere, who referred to her childhood in Hollywood as being a "little soldier" in her memoir, "This is Me: A Reckoning," began her acting career at four years old on the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live." Vogel, who was estranged from her daughter at the time of her death, has faced criticism from figures like Gayle King and Megyn Kelly for allegedly pushing Panettiere into show business too early.
By the age of eight, when Panettiere landed a role as Lizzie Spaulding on the CBS soap opera "Guiding Light," Vogel's coaching in inducing tears had proven effective. Vogel recounted a specific scene where Panettiere's character's mother was injured in a car accident. Panettiere's performance in this emotionally charged scene impressed cast members and producers alike. Beth Chamberlin, who played Panettiere's screen mother, recalled her young co-star's ability to memorize lines and deliver them with an emotional arc that often challenged adult actors.
Panettiere's memoir also touched upon the personal toll of these early experiences. She wrote about using the imagined funeral of her pet guinea pig to summon tears for difficult scenes. Vogel, however, insisted that her daughter possessed a natural talent that went beyond coaching. She recalled an instance where a four-year-old Panettiere, who could not yet read, memorized an entire script for a television pilot, astonishing producers.
Panettiere's memoir also included claims that she was given "pep pills" at age 15 before red carpet appearances. Vogel stated she had no knowledge of this and questioned the accuracy of that recollection, emphasizing her close involvement in her daughter's career at the time. Vogel expressed hurt over public criticism, particularly from those who had not met her, given the loss of both her children, Hayden and her younger brother Jansen.
Former co-star Laura Bonarrigo commented on the relentless nature of the child acting industry, noting that young performers can struggle with identity outside the spotlight. Bonarrigo, who now works as a life coach for actors, suggested that early success and external rewards can complicate a child's understanding of performance versus genuine emotion. Vogel, however, maintained that she always tried to protect her daughter despite their complicated relationship.