Hayden Panettiere was on track for a reset when she appeared on the “Tamron Hall Show” in May — just three months before she died Sunday at the age of 36.
At the time, the actress visited the daytime talk show to promote her new memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,”which tackled her struggles with addiction, how postpartum depression led to her decision to give up custody of her daughter, Kaya, and more. She appeared on Hall’s show to expand on her memoir and to make it clear that she turned her life around, according to a source familiar with the interview.
“It seemed that she really felt wronged by so many people, and — with that — she was focused on resetting her life,” the insider told Page Six.
During the interview, the “Nashville” star opened up about her distrust in Hollywood, and the time an adult she trusted handed her “happy pills” at the age of 16 before she walked a red carpet.
“This was somebody that I trusted so wholeheartedly to protect me and it never crossed my mind — in that moment — [that they would put me] in a position of harm in any way,” she recalled.
Panettiere’s publicist, Kasey Kitchen, accompanied her to the show, and also appeared by her side during one segment. We’re told Hall wanted the “Nashville” star to have a support system with her during the interview.
“[Hayden] really wanted [Kasey] there for the hour, and their friendship seemed genuine,” the source told Page Six. “It seemed like her publicist was the only solid person in her corner at the time.”
Panettiere felt safe with Kitchen, according to another source, who told us that the duo met after the actress “turned the corner in a better direction” and was someone “Hayden could trust.”
The day after the actress’ death, Hall’s daytime show honored the “Heroes” star by sharing footage from the interview to social media.
Panettiere proclaimed in one clip, “I want to be an example of a powerful, strong, brave female, woman — and one that can say, ‘No,’ and put up personal boundaries and not get taken advantage of. And I will burn the world down for her.”
She recalled in another clip the moment that made her seek treatment and enter rehab in 2020.
“When I got to the point of looking in the mirror and seeing my eyes had turned yellow, and that I didn’t recognize my body anymore and I went into that doctor’s office and got a blood test, and he told me ‘If you don’t stop, you’re going to be looking at a liver transplant,’” Panettiere shared.
“So, you’re 30 years old, and the doctor’s telling you, ‘You’re 30 years old, Hayden. You will not live to see 35,’” she continued. “Yeah, [the doctor said], ‘If you do not stop immediately.’ And, I was like, ‘I can’t do that to me,’ and if I can’t do it for myself, I’m going to do it for my child.”
The young actress died at the age of 36 of an apparent overdose. Her father, Skip, confirmed her death on Sunday in a statement to Page Six.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” the statement read. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her on-screen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Following her death, Hall also shared a personal message about Panettiere to her Instagram Story on Monday, which read, “Hayden trusted me with a deeply personal conversation. I’m grateful for that moment and for her honesty.”
The post Hayden Panettiere was ‘focused on resetting her life’ when she appeared on ‘Tamron Hall Show’ before her death appeared first on Page Six.
