Hayden Panettiere is addressing the viral interview that made fans’ hearts sink.
On Wednesday, the Scream star opened up about the tragic loss of her brother Jansen in addition to a whole load of other heavy topics in a vulnerable interview with People. It was a super emotional thing to do, and sadly the thing that caught fans’ attention the most was the condition she appeared to be in throughout. Despite fans calling on the outlet to take it down, you can watch (below):
Many fans quickly came down on the outlet, claiming they exploited the 35-year-old for clicks. Her rep subsequently assured Page Six that she was NOT under the influence. They told the outlet:
“Speaking about her brother for the first time was very emotional for her — and it had been a long and exhausting day for her. She was not under the influence.”
It’s all just been a ton of speculation up to this point… And now, she’s speaking out.
Related: Hayden Developed Extreme Agoraphobia & Weight Gain After Brother’s Sudden Death
In a lengthy Instagram post on Sunday, the mom of one shared:
“I would like to take a moment to address the controversy surrounding an interview I recently completed with PEOPLE Magazine. It’s unfathomable that I’m even in this position, but I feel forced to address it in a space where I won’t be criticized for how fast or slow I speak.”
Poor girl. She continued:
“I hadn’t slept for two days prior to the shoot due to one of my dogs who was recovering from an emergency surgical procedure. It was an 8-hour shoot followed by an on-camera interview that was supposed to last for 1 hour. The interview started well, and for the record, its beginning is not included in the version PEOPLE Magazine posted.”
That’s messed up! It sounds like she had been through SO much leading up to the interview, not to mention the subject matter she discussed having a clear effect on her! And her claim that she was sharper towards the beginning of the interview, and that THAT footage didn’t make it in is a whole other beast in and of itself! We mean, she’s been through so much in her life losing custody of her daughter, her brother’s death, and her past struggle with addiction… It’d be awful if she was tactfully positioned to be misjudged.
The Nashville alum went on:
“I was exhausted. My rep stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading — especially as the subject matter became heavier. We asked the interviewer if we could re-do it another day or do a follow up interview on zoom. She assured us that it wasn’t necessary, and that she felt it was an emotional and heartfelt interview. We were also told they would edit it and that it would be a beautiful piece. The magazine does not grant approval for images or video interviews before they run. We see the interview when it goes live.”
How shocking must it have been for her then! She concluded:
“Grief looks different on everyone. Whether or not I am on medication is none of anyone’s business and is between me and my doctor. I am doing interviews to promote my new film because I am proud of it. The real issue here is the toxicity of social media, and a news cycle that is driven by click bait. Mental health is so important, and I hope those reading this now understand that what you say hiding behind a computer screen can have a detrimental impact on someone. For those of you who have come to my defense amidst this chaos I am so grateful. Like I’ve said before, I am a work in progress. We all are. — Hayden”
You can see her full post (below):
Poor Hayden! Like she said, whether she is on medication is between her and her doctor. The important thing is that she continues to focus on herself to recover from all the trauma she has endured.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments down below.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]
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