Courteney Cox has broken her silence on the death of her "Scream" co-star Hayden Panettiere, who passed away on August 16 at the age of 36. Panettiere died at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, with authorities suspecting a drug overdose.
Cox, speaking with Entertainment Weekly at the Toronto International Film Festival, described Panettiere as "a really wonderful actor." The "Friends" star, who plays Gale Weathers in the "Scream" franchise, shared the screen with Panettiere, who portrayed Kirby Reed, in "Scream 4" (2011) and "Scream VI" (2023).
"The last time I worked with her we had a great time," Cox said. She further characterized Panettiere as "really fun and happy and smart," while reflecting on the tragedy of her passing. "It's really sad," Cox stated. "It's obviously horrible."
Panettiere had previously spoken to Entertainment Weekly about her experience working with the late filmmaker Wes Craven on "Scream 4." She called Craven, who died in 2015, "amazing" and credited him with having an "incredible impact" on her as an actor. Panettiere recalled Craven's advice on building suspense and timing in horror scenes, stating that he taught her to "be right on the nose."
Cox attended the Canadian festival to promote her new directorial project, "Evil Genius," which delves into the 2003 Pizza Bomber case. The film is described as exploring "deception, desperation, and the blurred line between victim and villain."
Panettiere's death occurred amid reports of an altercation involving her ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother. Eyewitnesses reported that the brothers were heckled at a restaurant in Greenville, South Carolina, leading to a scuffle. Brian Hickerson was briefly handcuffed, and his brother Zach was arrested for disorderly conduct.