Ice Princess director pays tribute to deceased stars Panettiere and Trachtenberg
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"Ice Princess" director Tim Fywell has issued a fresh tribute to stars Hayden Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg, calling them "an amazing pair" of "shining talents, gone far too soon." His statement follows growing public mourning, including tributes from fellow child star Alexa PenaVega, who linked Panettiere's death to those of Trachtenberg and "Lilo & Stitch" actress Daveigh Chase, describing the trio as young performers who grew up navigating an industry that didn't always support them.
Panettiere died on Sunday aged 36, with police having found no signs of foul play; Trachtenberg died in February last year aged 39, and Chase died in June aged 35. Fywell, who directed the pair in the 2005 Disney figure-skating film, recalled Trachtenberg as "kooky, fun" with sharp comic timing and Panettiere as a determined perfectionist who trained for hours to get every take right, saying the shoot, his first Hollywood film, was tough but that both actresses were "delightful to work with."
- Director Tim Fywell pays fresh tribute to Panettiere and Trachtenberg
- Alexa PenaVega also mourns them alongside late star Daveigh Chase
- Panettiere, 36, died Sunday; police found no signs of foul play
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Panettiere, Trachtenberg and Chase were all child or teen stars who found fame in the late 1990s and 2000s, and who have died in the past 18 months at relatively young ages. Panettiere, best known for the TV series "Heroes," died on Sunday aged 36; Trachtenberg, known for "Harriet the Spy" and "Buffy the Summer Slayer," died in February 2025 aged 39; and Chase, the voice of Lilo in Disney's "Lilo & Stitch," died in June aged 35. Police have said there were no signs of foul play in Panettiere's death.
Tim Fywell directed Panettiere and Trachtenberg together in the 2005 Disney film "Ice Princess," a figure-skating drama that was one of the roles that shaped their careers as young actresses. His tribute is part of a wider wave of remembrance from people who worked with them, including fellow former child star Alexa PenaVega.
The deaths of the three women have prompted broader public reflection on the pressures faced by young performers in the entertainment industry, though this has not been the subject of any formal inquiry reported here.
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Originally published by Variety as “‘Ice Princess’ Director Remembers Stars Hayden Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg as an ‘Amazing Pair’: ‘Two Shining Talents, Gone Far Too Soon’”.