Hayden Panettiere said she wanted to “leave the world a better place than [she] found it” in her last interview before her tragic death at 36.
The late actress made the haunting remark while promoting her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” at a Los Angeles book event hosted by Book Soup at the Harmony Gold Theater on May 26.
“I can hopefully leave the world a better place than I found it,” she shared at the time. “The strength is in our vulnerability.”
During the discussion, the “Nashville” star also revealed that many other Hollywood people related to the struggles she divulged in her book, which made writing about her trauma “worth it.”
“So many people have come up to me within the industry and outside of the industry and shared their stories with me and said, ‘Because you’ve talked about your mental health, it gave me the courage to be honest about mine and get myself help, and you saved my life,’” she said.
When asked what she wanted to manifest next in her career, Panettiere said she “would love to direct,” especially so she could protect other child actors like herself.
“I really want to direct and be that person that creates a safe environment for actors and be like, this is the experience you’re supposed to have,” she said. “I would love to produce.”
“People don’t always understand what they’re asking of young actors emotionally,” she explained. “I remember having to advocate for younger performers and stepping in when people expected too much from them. I become very protective.
“If somebody’s pushing a child too hard, that’s when I start growling.”
Panettiere’s death was announced by her dad, Skip, Sunday night.
“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 onscreen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss,” he told Page Six.
According to 911 dispatch audio obtained by Page Six, the “Heroes” alum died in her South Carolina home after an “overdose.”
Paramedics responded to a call about an “unidentified female” in “cardiac arrest” on Sunday and, within minutes, “CPR [was] in progress.”
Emergency responders attempted to resuscitate Panettiere at her apartment complex with “advanced cardiac life support” and chest compressions, but she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
Her cause of death is not yet known at this time, though there were reportedly no signs of foul play.
The Golden Globe nominee has been open about her struggles with opioid and alcohol addiction and postpartum depression.
Panettiere is survived by daughter Kaya, 11, whom she shared with the retired heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
The former couple got engaged in 2013 and split in 2018. That same year, she relinquished custody of her only child.
“It was the hardest thing I could do,” she told People. “But the best thing for my daughter was to make sure she was okay, take care of myself and make sure I could be a good mom to her. And sometimes that means letting go.”
If you or someone you care about is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
