Actress Hayden Panettiere appeared emotional and at times struggled with her speech during her last known public appearance on May 26, just months before her death at age 36. A source who attended the book signing event at the Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles told Page Six that Panettiere's speech seemed slow and slurred at points.
The "Nashville" alum became visibly upset while discussing painful experiences detailed in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning." Organizers at the event reportedly reminded attendees multiple times not to record, and later prohibited photos or videos as fans approached Panettiere during the signing. At one instance, an organizer used a megaphone to tell an attendee, "Don’t be rude," after they attempted to record the actress.
Another source noted that Panettiere had seemed tired at times earlier in the year but attributed it to her being a night owl with a lot on her plate. This individual also mentioned that Panettiere sometimes suffered from anxiety and occasionally took medication that could impact her speech.
Panettiere was promoting her memoir, which explored her experiences as a child star, struggles with addiction, postpartum depression, abusive relationships, and the death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, in 2023. Despite the difficult subject matter, she expressed a desire for her openness to positively impact others, recalling instances where her public discussions about mental health encouraged people to seek help.
She also shared personal reflections on her early career, including experiencing her first identity crisis at age 12. The Golden Globe nominee, who began her acting career as an infant, described the challenges of growing up in the public eye and the intense pressure of auditioning from a young age.
Panettiere died Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina. Her family confirmed her passing and stated that a cause of death has not yet been officially determined. Emergency personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive woman, and according to 911 dispatch audio obtained by Page Six, authorities were responding to a female in "cardiac arrest" with CPR in progress for an apparent "overdose." Narcan was found at the scene. A preliminary investigation revealed no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, released a statement describing his daughter as "an incredible light and a force of nature." Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, and her parents.