Hayden Panettiere’s mother has spoken out following her daughter’s death, criticising the actor’s former partner Brian Hickerson.
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The actor, famous for her roles in Heroes, Nashville, and the Scream franchise, died in her home in South Carolina on August 16, at the age of 36. Her death was announced by her father Skip, who described her as “an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her”. An official cause of death has not been disclosed, but 911 dispatch audio revealed medical personnel were treating her for a “suspected overdose”.
In her first statement since her daughter’s death, Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, singled out the actor’s former partner, Brian Hickerson, who was said to be with her at the time of her death.
Panettiere claimed in her recent memoir that he domestically abused her, something he acknowledged in an interview with TMZ in May, and Vogel expressed her “concern” about his influence on her. Vogel and Panettiere had been estranged for some time before her death.
Hayden Panettiere’s ex Brian Hickerson talks relationship months before her death. pic.twitter.com/JRGeRtzl1z
— TMZ (@TMZ) August 17, 2026
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson,” Vogel told NBC News on Tuesday (August 18). “There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him.”
Discussing her daughter, she said: “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.”
Tributes have poured in from the entertainment industry since Hayden Panettiere’s passing, with Heroes co-star Sendhil Ramamurthy recalling how she supported “mistreated” background actors and “knew every crew members name”.
If you are experiencing domestic violence you can contact the National Domestic Abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247.
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