Hayden Panettiere has addressed concerns about her speech patterns in a recent interview, attributing it to exhaustion, lack of sleep, and grief over the loss of her brother. She criticized the "toxicity of social media" and emphasized the importance of mental health awareness.
Hayden Panettiere has defended herself against criticism of her speech patterns in a recent interview, citing exhaustion, lack of sleep, and grief over the loss of her brother.
Hayden Panettiere Defends Herself Against Speech Pattern Criticism, Cites Exhaustion and Grief
In a statement on Instagram, Panettiere, 35, said she felt compelled to address the controversy surrounding her interview with PEOPLE Magazine. She admitted that her slurred speech was due to exhaustion and lack of sleep prior to the shoot.
"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," she wrote. "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."
Hayden Panettiere Defends Herself Against Speech Pattern Criticism, Cites Exhaustion and Grief
Panettiere said her representative stopped the interview early as it became clear that she was "fading," especially as the subject matter became heavier. She said they asked the interviewer if they could reschedule or do a follow-up interview via Zoom, but were assured that another interview was not necessary.
"We were also told they would edit it and that it would be a beautiful piece," she said. According to industry standards, she noted that magazines do not typically grant approval for images or video interviews before they run.
Hayden Panettiere Defends Herself Against Speech Pattern Criticism, Cites Exhaustion and Grief
Panettiere acknowledged that her grief over the loss of her brother, Jansen, may have also affected her speech patterns. She said that grief "looks different on everyone" and that her decision to take or not take medication is a private matter between her and her doctor.
"I am doing interviews to promote my new film because I am proud of it," she said. "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."
Panettiere also discussed the physical and mental toll that her brother's death took on her. She revealed that she experienced rapid weight gain and agoraphobia in the aftermath of his passing.
"When my little brother passed away, my body did something I've never really seen it do before, which was within days, I basically just like ballooned. Ballooned out," she said. "Stress and cortisol running through your body can do that. I tried everything — everything unhealthy, everything healthy — didn't matter what I ate, didn't matter what I did. My body … it was like protecting itself, shielding itself from the world."
Panettiere said she struggled with agoraphobia following his funeral and often isolated herself at home. With the help of a personal trainer and her own determination, she has since been able to confront her demons and live a healthier and more fulfilling life.
"I became desperate. Because I wanted to keep working, but I didn't want to go and be miserable on set," she said. "And I didn't want to go to fittings and look at myself in the mirror and hate everything that I saw on myself."
