Actor Ethan Suplee, known for his role as Louie Lastik in the 2000 film "Remember the Titans," has revealed he used heroin on the night of the movie's premiere, just hours after a heartwarming encounter with his then-10-year-old co-star Hayden Panettiere. Panettiere died on Monday at age 36 from a suspected overdose.
Suplee, 50, shared his experience in an essay published on his Substack page Monday, describing the stark contrast between the joy he felt from Panettiere's affection and the grip of his addiction.
"September 23, 2000, was the night of the Remember the Titans premiere at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena," Suplee wrote. "On the red carpet, Hayden Panettiere, the ten-year-old girl from the movie, ran up to me, leapt into my arms, and gave me a big hug." He recalled feeling a moment of genuine happiness, noting, "Holding her I was lighter, some of her energy and innocence washed over me, and for a moment my smile was genuine."
However, this moment was immediately followed by a relapse. "I went from the press line to the bathroom and smoked heroin," Suplee confessed. He explained that his despair deepened after he broke a golf cart by sitting on it, and he subsequently retreated to a bathroom to use drugs while the movie played, crying.
He recounted seeing Panettiere again at the end of the premiere, another interaction that briefly lifted his spirits. "Once again, she leapt into my arms, and once again I felt some relief," he wrote. Suplee stated that he went to bed that night believing he would not wake up, finding that prospect preferable to facing another day.
Suplee concluded his tribute by reflecting on the losses of Panettiere and actor Harold Pruett, who also died from an accidental drug overdose. "I feel a tremendous sense of loss today, I don't know what they were going through at the end. I only know that for them, the battle is over. And I'm sad." He attributed his own survival to finding the courage to accept help.
"Remember the Titans," based on a true story, depicted the integration of a high school football team in Virginia in 1971. Panettiere played Sheryl Yoast, the daughter of assistant coach Bill Yoast. The film starred Denzel Washington as coach Herman Boone.
Panettiere's death is under investigation by the Greenville County Coroner's Office. Audio from a 911 call indicated "cardiac arrest," and sources told TMZ that Narcan was found at the scene. She was reportedly found unresponsive by her boyfriend's brother at her apartment in Greenville, South Carolina. Emergency services attempted resuscitation for nearly an hour before she was pronounced dead.
Panettiere had a tumultuous relationship with Brian Hickerson, who was arrested multiple times on domestic violence charges. She detailed aspects of her struggles and their relationship in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," published shortly before her death. She had an 11-year-old daughter with ex-partner Wladimir Klitschko, who has full custody.