Hayden Panettiere addresses controversial on-camera interview

Hayden Panettiere is speaking out after a clip from an on-camera interview sparked concerns for the actor's well-being.

"I would like to take a moment to address the controversy surrounding an interview I recently completed with PEOPLE Magazine," Panettiere began in the caption of a Sept. 22 Instagram post. "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."

Panettiere recently sat down with People to talk about her upcoming film, "Amber Alert." She participated in an eight-hour photoshoot followed by an "on-camera interview that was supposed to last for 1 hour," she said Sunday.

People posted clips from the interview on social media Sept. 18. In the comments, fans expressed worry for Panettiere's health, questioning if the actor was sober. Some criticized the interview and People for uploading it to social media, calling it "exploitative." 

In her statement, Panettiere said she was "exhausted" by the end of the interview.

"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 said.

She said her representative "stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading — especially as the subject matter became heavier." In the interview, Panettiere spoke about her daughter as well as the sudden death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, in February 2023.

A representative for Panettiere said in a statement to TODAY.com, "Her post says it all. It's time to move past this nightmare and hopefully remind others just how powerful words can be." 

Seemingly addressing comments about her appearance, Panettiere continued, "Grief looks different on everyone." 

"Whether or not I am on medication is none of anyone’s business and is between me and my doctor," she said. 

She called "the toxicity of social media" and "a news cycle that is driven by click bait" the "real issue" at hand.

"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," she concluded.

Panettiere has been open about her experience with addiction in the past. In 2022, she told People that as she "got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn’t live without.” 

In 2018, she sent her daughter, Kaya, to live with her ex Wladimir Klitschko, calling it "the hardest thing I ever had to do." She later entered rehab for eight months. By the 2022 interview, she had finally found "peace," People reported.

“It’s an everyday choice, and I’m checking in with myself all the time,” Panettiere said at the time. “But I’m just so grateful to be part of this world again, and I will never take it for granted again.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com