Hayden Panettiere Says She Didn’t Sleep for ‘2 Days’ Before Video Interview That Raised Concern

Hayden Panettiere addressed concerned fans amid buzz surrounding a recent video interview that appeared to show her slurring her words as she spoke.

“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 wrote in a Sunday, September 22, Instagram post. “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.”

Hayden, 35, said that the “interview started well” but added that this portion of the footage was not included in what was posted. “I was exhausted,” she continued. “My rep stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading – especially as the subject matter became heavier.” Hayden discussed the 2023 death of her brother, Jansen Panettiere, in the Q&A.

“Grief looks different on everyone,” the Amber Alert star said. “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.”

When the video of Hayden was posted on September 18, fans began flooding the comments section with concerned messages. Many also asked for the “disturbing” clip to be removed, while several questioned whether Hayden was still sober. Her rep denied that the former child star had relapsed.

“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 told Page Six.

Jansen was 28 years old when he died unexpectedly in February 2023. Jansen’s cause of death was confirmed as “cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications,” his family later revealed.

“He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him,” Hayden told People. “When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul.” She also admitted that she stopped wanting to leave the house after Jansen’s death..

“Within days, I basically just like ballooned — ballooned out,” Hayden explained, revealing that “stress and cortisol” caused her to gain weight amid her grief. “I had to see horrific paparazzi pictures of myself coming out of Jansen’s funeral, which happened in a very private place, and it was shocking. My agoraphobia came out, which is something I’ve struggled with in the past. I didn’t feel confident to put on clothes and get out of the house, but I also knew that I needed to get out and keep moving or I’d never stop looking and feeling this way.”