Director Griff Furst recalled that Hayden Panettiere and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson brought a "dark energy" to the set of her 2025 film "A Breed Apart." Furst stated in an Instagram video on Monday that Panettiere, who died Sunday at 36, was "not OK" while filming the movie.
Furst, who has worked on over 100 films, said he was initially excited to work with Panettiere. However, upon her arrival for filming, the movie's security team reported that something seemed "off." When Furst greeted Panettiere, Hickerson was with her. While Panettiere was "incredibly sweet and gracious and excited to work," Furst observed that she was "not OK." He described the atmosphere in her room as "pretty dark."
"She really was incredible," Furst said of Panettiere. "She was a force to be reckoned with, and when we did this movie, that was definitely still in there. But there was something else in there, too, that made it a lot harder to reach."
Panettiere was with Hickerson and his brother, Zack Hickerson, when she died of an apparent overdose in South Carolina. Zack Hickerson informed police that Panettiere was his sibling's "girlfriend," according to a police report. Sources indicated that Panettiere had kept her reconciliation with Brian Hickerson private, even from friends, in the two weeks leading up to her death.
Brian Hickerson has a history of domestic violence allegations during his relationship with Panettiere. He pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend in 2021. An insider suggested that Hickerson would often find ways to re-enter Panettiere's life under the guise of friendship.
Another colleague, Justin Chatwin, who worked with Panettiere on her last film "Sleepwalker" in 2025, also noted that she seemed "lonely" and "different" on set. Chatwin observed that Panettiere "struggled" during that time.
Gayle King, who interviewed Panettiere in May about her addiction struggles detailed in her memoir "This Is Me: A Reckoning," echoed these sentiments. King stated that Panettiere was "clearly still struggling" during their interview.
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or by texting START to 88788. For issues related to substance abuse, SAMHSA’s National Helpline is available at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).