Hayden Panettiere has spoken out to set the record straight about her controversial interview with PEOPLE.
On Friday, the magazine shared a clip of an interview with the 35-year-old. In the clip, her speech was slurred as she spoke about the sudden and traumatic death of her brother Jansen. Fans were immediately concerned for her welfare, and, due to Panettiere’s public history with alcohol and opioid addiction, some fans suspected she wasn’t sober during the interview. Quickly, the comment section demanded PEOPLE delete the interview from its social media and slammed the publication for potentially sharing an interview Panettiere was not fit to consent to.
However, on Sunday, Panettiere took to Instagram with a lengthy statement to address what was actually going on.
“I would like to take a moment to address the controversy surrounding an interview I recently completed with PEOPLE Magazine,” she began.
“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 criticised for how fast or slow I speak. 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 eight-hour shoot followed by an on-camera interview that was supposed to last for one hour.”
The Nashville star said that while the interview got off to a good start, the beginning is not included in what PEOPLE posted.
“I was exhausted. My rep stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading—especially as the subject matter became heavier,” she said.
“We asked the interviewer if we could re-do it another day or do a follow-up interview on Zoom,” Panettiere wrote.
“She assured us that it wasn’t necessary and that she felt it was an emotional and heartfelt interview. We were also told they would edit it and that it would be a beautiful piece. The magazine does not grant approval for images or video interviews before they run. We see the interview when it goes live.”
Panettiere slammed the discourse about whether she was on medication or not during the interview and the toxic nature of social media.
“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 continued.
“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 driven by clickbait. 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.
The Bring It On: All Or Nothing star wrapped up by thanking those who had come to her defence in the comments.
“Like I’ve said before, I am a work in progress. We all are,” she concluded.
Panettiere’s brother Jansen passed away in February 2023 from an undiagnosed heart condition. He was only 28 at the time, and his sudden passing had a profound effect on Panettiere.
In the interview with PEOPLE, she spoke out for the first time about his death and the emotional spiral it sent her on.
“He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him. When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul,” she said.
“I will always be heartbroken about it. I will never be able to get over it. No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss.”
Paniettere is currently promoting her latest film Amber Alert which she stars in alongside Tyler James Williams which comes out on September 30.
The post Hayden Panettiere Addresses Her Slurred Speech In Controversial People Interview appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
