In many ways, Hayden Panettiere was a daughter of Hollywood.
The Golden Globe-nominated actress and former child star, who died on Aug. 16 at age 36
, grew up in the spotlight, having started her acting career at just 11 months old. Over the years, Panettiere endeared herself to the industry and fellow kids alike with a slew of memorable roles in TV and film, from "A Bug's Life" and "Tiger Cruise" to "Ice Princess"and "Racing Stripes."Along the way, the burgeoning actress shared the screen with a host of powerhouse leading ladies, including "Sex and the City" alum Kim Cattrall, soap opera veteran Beth Chamberlin and Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis. Many of these women, some of whom played her mother, have paid tribute to Panettiere's work and legacy
in the days following her death.
This maternal presence on set was at times a stark contrast to Panettiere's tumultuous relationship with her real-life mother, Lesley Vogel.
Just a few months before her death, Panettiere opened up about her complicated dynamic with Vogel in a May interview on Jay Shetty's "On Purpose" podcast. The actress described Vogel as her "boss" and said their relationship revolved entirely around her career from the time she was a baby. She would in turn fill the role of her mother's therapist and confidant, "everything but her child."
Vogel reflected on her daughter's death and personal struggles in an Aug. 18 interview with NBC News, telling the outlet that "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."
Vogel's statement drew sharp public criticism, with some suggesting her remarks were an indicator of her strained relationship with Panettiere.
"You know, guys, you read this and all I can think is, 'Thanks, Mom, for nothing,'" Gayle King said to her cohosts on "CBS Mornings," adding, "It makes me so sad of the opportunity that you have after your daughter's death that that's what you choose to leave us with."
Many shared the sentiment on social media. "No fame can replace a mother," @jamieali8 wrote on Threads. "I feel sorry that she probably didn't get to be a daughter even for a single day in her life − a truly loved daughter, rather than a source of money."
USA TODAY has reached out to Vogel for comment.
The onscreen moms who embraced Hayden Panettiere
"She was the most brilliant child actor I've ever seen," Chamberlin wrote in a tribute on Instagram.
With a few screen credits under her belt, a 7 year-old Panettiere landed a series regular role on the CBS soap opera "Guiding Light" in 1996, playing Lizzie Spaulding, the daughter of Beth Raines (Chamberlin). Panettiere appeared in over 40 episodes through 2000.
"The things she could do, the way she could remember 20+ pages of dialogue, day after day," Chamberlin wrote. "Even on days where the director would come out between dress and tape and make huge cuts to the scenes, Hayden never once forgot a line or missed her blocking. The adults would, but not Hayden. I felt blessed to work with her."
Tina Sloan, who played Panettiere's grandmother on the show, fondly remembered the actress in a tribute of her own, calling Panettiere "such a star."
Despite her professionalism and wise-beyond-her-years demeanor, Panettiere later reflected that she was "groomed" to be a "little soldier" throughout her early career. In her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," the actress recalled her mother pushing her through the busy streets of Manhattan on auditions at age 4, bookending each call with the phrase, "Don't phone it in."
Praised for her tears and dramatic expressions, Panettiere said she "began to associate catastrophe with adoration," writing, "I've often wondered whether – unintentionally – I've brought on my traumas because I'm wired to think they're good for me."
At 16, Panettiere was cast in the Disney film "Ice Princess," a coming-of-age drama about high school brainiac Casey Carlyle (Michelle Trachtenberg), who unexpectedly falls in love with figure skating while working on a physics project. Panettiere played Gen Harwood, Casey's rival-turned-best-friend and daughter of the local ice skating rink manager Tina Harwood (Cattrall).
It was around that time, Panettiere said, that her team began giving her "happy pills" – amphetamines, she believed – before interviews and red carpets so she could focus. Looking back on the habit in "This Is Me," the actress said "they were the gateway drug" that kicked off her descent into addiction.
Cattrall's character pushes Gen to be the ultimate champion with a strict regimen and a no-nonsense attitude, despite her daughter's lack of passion for the sport. The Emmy-nominated actress included a throwback photo from the 2000s film in her social media tribute to Panettiere.
"Rest in peace, sweet Hayden," Cattrall wrote. "Gone far too soon 💔"
As Hayden Panettiere's fame grew, her bond with her own mother seems to unravel
Davis first shared the screen with a 17-year-old Panettiere in the 2006 drama "The Architect." The two would reunite a decade later for 2016's "Custody," a legal drama that starred the women as a lawyer and judge involved in a domestic violence case.
Although Davis never played Panettiere's mother on screen, she said she enjoyed watching the actress's growth both personally and professionally.
"What an amazing talent you were….so gifted. [Davis' husband] Julius and I loved working with you….an old, wise soul with such a deep heart," Davis wrote on Instagram. "I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming. I saw this beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes.
"Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy. You will be remembered. Rest well, Hayden. Sending healing prayers to your family, your daughter and all who loved you. May they always speak your name….♥️🙏🏿🕊"
Two years later, when Panettiere was 19, she fired her mother as her manager in the hopes of salvaging a relationship built on business. In her "On Purpose" interview, Panettiere recalled the professional split and how she told Vogel, "I just want you to be my mom."
Her mother, Panettiere said, gave her a curt response: "You owe me," before she walked away. The "Heroes" star said that ending their business relationship didn't result in the mother-daughter bond she hoped for.
A few years later, Panettiere put on her singing hat for "Nashville," a musical drama that led the actress to record songs for the show's soundtracks and make appearances tied to its concert tours. Panettiere, who was 23 when the ABC series began, played rising star Juliette Barnes opposite Connie Britton, who portrayed veteran country singer Rayna Jaymes.
Although the women played musical rivals on the show, Panettiere and Britton appeared to share a warm bond in real life.
"This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright," Britton wrote in an Instagram tribute. "I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now."
In her memoir "This Is Me," Panettiere said didn't have many close friends on set filming "Nashville," which ran for six seasons from 2012 to 2018. The actress wrote that no one brought up her drug addiction, ultimately contributing to an "enabling" environment.
Instead, she said the "Nashville" writers modeled her character's Season 4 arc after Panettiere's life. In the throes of postpartum depression after having her daughter, Kaya, Panettiere became addicted to alcohol and Klonopin, a prescription drug that can treat anxiety and seizure disorders but has a risk of dependency and withdrawal symptoms.
"Juliette Barnes had postpartum depression, and alcohol and pill problem, and a divorce on the horizon. She was erratic, an absentee mother, and fought with everyone, including her fans," Panettiere wrote. "Every time I read the day's script, it was like I was looking in a funhouse mirror, seeing a distorted reflection of myself. I can't tell you how lost this made me feel."
Hayden Panettiere made the painful choice to put her own daughter first
After a tumultuous childhood, Panettiere welcomed her first and only child, daughter Kaya, in 2014 with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
When Kaya was about 4, Panettiere said Klitschko decided it would be best for their daughter to live in Europe amid Panettiere's worsening battle with depression and alcohol addiction. And after years of her own troubled relationship with Vogel, she made the difficult choice to give up her parental rights. In a 2022 interview with People magazine, the actress said relinquishing child custody was "the hardest thing I could do."
Rather than the anguish she experienced, she hoped to give her daughter a gift. "The best thing for my daughter was to make sure she was OK, take care of myself and make sure I could be a good mom to her," Panettiere said. "And sometimes that means letting go."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Contributing: Anika Reed, Taijuan Moorman, Liza Esquibias, Clare Mulroy and Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hayden Panettiere was estranged from her mom. These stars were there
