Hayden Panettiere ‘Forced to Address’ Interview After Sparking Fan Concern

The 35-year-old actress addressed the controversy surrounding her recent interview with PEOPLE magazine, after it sparked concern among fans.

The Scream and Nashville star spoke to the outlet about the sudden death of her brother, among other topics, and appeared to slur her speech, with fans — and even some celebrities — concerned about Panettiere’s general demeanor.

Now, she’s responding to the online chatter.

“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,” she captioned an Instagram post of herself against a screen with her name on it.

The former Nashville actress went on to say that she had not slept for two days prior to the interview with the publication due to one of her dogs recovering from an emergency surgical procedure. She then revealed that the publication’s shoot lasted for eight hours and the interview was “supposed” to be one hour.

“The interview started well, and for the record, its beginning is not included in the version PEOPLE Magazine posted. I was exhausted. My rep stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading — especially as the subject matter became heavier,” Panettiere continued, before adding that her team asked to do a “re-do” of the interview on another day or do a “follow up” on Zoom.

“She [the interview] assured us that it wasn’t necessary, and that she felt it was an emotional and heartfelt interview,” she recalled. “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.”

The interview was heavily focused on the grief she has been going through since the loss of her Jansen, who died unexpectedly of an undiagnosed heart condition at just 28. She further explained in her post how “grief looks different on everyone” and called out the “toxicity” of the internet.

“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,” she said.

“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,” she added.

Panettiere then concluded, “Like I’ve said before, I am a work in progress. We all are.”

Following the drug accusations and the overall concern for Panettiere’s well-being from fans, her reps released a statement to Page Six saying there is no cause for alarm.

Her reps said “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.”

The rep also noted that Panettiere “fully cooperated” during the interview and video with PEOPLE and shared that her team “was on set for the duration of the shoot.”