Megyn Kelly has voiced criticism of Hollywood's impact on child stars, referencing the recent death of actress Hayden Panettiere at 36. Kelly stated on "The Megyn Kelly Show" that she was saddened but unsurprised by Panettiere's passing, suggesting it exemplified the detrimental effects of childhood fame.
"Do not put your child into any industry that will make them a star as a minor," Kelly advised parents. "Don't do it, no matter how badly you need the money, no matter how badly your child tells you it's her dream or his dream — the answer is no, if you love them."
Panettiere, who began her acting career at a young age, gained significant recognition for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville." Her father confirmed her death on Sunday, though no cause or specific circumstances were immediately released.
Kelly argued that the child-star system can expose young performers to adult pressures and hazardous situations before they are emotionally mature enough to handle them. She described the industry as one that "builds them up and then rejects them."
Kelly drew parallels to other former child stars with documented struggles, such as Amanda Bynes and the late River Phoenix, and mentioned Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, and Macaulay Culkin as examples. She posited that achieving peak fame as a child can lead individuals to spend the rest of their lives attempting to recapture that success.
Criticism of Brian Hickerson
Kelly also directed strong criticism toward Brian Hickerson, Panettiere's former boyfriend, whose relationship with the actress was previously marked by a domestic violence case. "He's an absolute f--king douchebag," Kelly stated, later calling him "an absolutely terrible person from what I can see."
Hickerson had pleaded no contest in 2021 to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend and received a sentence of 45 days in county jail and four years of probation. Panettiere had spoken publicly about surviving domestic abuse and expressed hope that sharing her story would help others in similar situations.
Panettiere's memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," published in May, detailed her experiences with alcohol and opioid addiction, postpartum depression, and domestic abuse, along with the pressures of growing up in Hollywood. She reportedly began abusing alcohol while filming "Nashville" in 2012 and her drinking escalated after the birth of her daughter in 2014, coinciding with her battle with postpartum depression.
Kelly also commented on Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, suggesting that parents becoming overly involved in their children's Hollywood careers is dangerous. Panettiere had reportedly expressed a desire for her mother to act solely as a parent rather than a manager.
"The miracle is that she survived to age 36 with a mother like that," Kelly remarked. She concluded that Hollywood itself, in effect, supplanted the parental role in Panettiere's life, leading to a "doomed" outcome.