Hayden Panettiere’s mother criticises boyfriend after actress’s death
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Hayden Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, broke her silence in the days after the actress's death, publicly criticising her daughter's on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, who was reportedly with Panettiere when she died. Vogel, who once managed Panettiere's career, told NBC News that Hickerson was someone the family had "been trying to get rid of for quite some time", adding a fraught personal dimension to the grief surrounding the sudden death of the "Heroes" and "Nashville" star at the age of 36.
The remarks followed days of tributes from figures including her former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, who vowed to keep her memory alive for their young daughter, Kaya, alongside messages from Viola Davis, Bethany Joy Lenz and other co-stars and colleagues recalling her warmth and work ethic. Panettiere's death, on Sunday 16 August, had already prompted wider reporting on preliminary autopsy findings and on her long-documented struggles with fame, addiction and personal relationships, with her mother's comments underscoring lingering family concern over Hickerson's presence in her life.
- Panettiere's mother blamed boyfriend Brian Hickerson after her death
- He was reportedly with her, aged 36, when she died
- Comments followed tributes from Klitschko, Viola Davis and others
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Tributes have been coming in from across the entertainment industry after actress Hayden Panettiere died suddenly at 36. She was best known for playing Juliette Barnes in the ABC musical drama Nashville, having earlier risen to fame as a child and teen star in the 2000s.
The reaction has come from people who worked with or knew her over the years, including her Nashville co-star Charles Esten, actress Hilary Duff, Mariska Hargitay, Solange, Rosie O'Donnell and her former husband, boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Their tributes point to how widely she was known and liked within Hollywood, having grown up in the public eye from a young age.
The outpouring reflects both her long career and the personal connections she built with colleagues across film, television and music.
Coverage
- The Hollywood Reporter — ‘Nashville’ Alum Charles Esten Notes “Strange Coincidence” of Being in Greenville, South Carolina Days Before Hayden Panettiere’s Death
- Billboard — Hilary Duff Pays Tribute to Hayden Panettiere: ‘I So Deeply Wish This Wasn’t the End for You’
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