- Hayden Panettiere died Aug. 16 at 36 after being found unresponsive in Greenville; emergency responders pronounced her dead at 2:32 p.m.
- Estranged mother Lesley Vogel spoke to NBC, confirmed they went no-contact after years of trauma, reflected on Hayden's struggles and industry pressures.
- Vogel said Brian Hickerson was present at Hayden's death, cited past abuse concerns and said she may speak with police to learn more.
Responses to actress Hayden Panettiere's death continue to flood in; one of note comes from her estranged mother.
On Aug. 16, Panettiere died at age 36. First responders and EMS personnel arrived at a Greenville, South Carolina, residence Sunday following a 911 call and found Panettiere "unresponsive" and in cardiac arrest, according to the coroner’s office. They attempted advanced cardiac life support, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Officials said Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, broke her silence on Tuesday when she talked exclusively to NBC News. Panettiere and Vogel had been estranged at the time of Panettiere's death.
What happened between Hayden Panettiere and her mother?
Vogel, also an actress, managed the Nashville star's career from a very young age, which complicated their relationship. “Everything was business,” Panettiere said in a May 2026 appearance on On Purpose with Jay Shetty to promote her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning. “I became the confidant and the assistant and the therapist and the shoulder to cry on and everything but her child.”
At 19, Panettiere attempted to end their professional relationship to rebuild a familial one, but she was let down. She recalled her mother saying, "You owe me," and walking away. “The fact that she didn’t care to have a relationship with me was a tough pill to swallow," she said on the podcast.
When Panettiere was promoting her memoir, Vogel confirmed their estrangement in a statement to Page Six. "After 20 years of trauma, I took the advice of professionals and chose the no-contact route," Vogel told the outlet. "As many parents of entertainment children [know], we are all too familiar with the painful observation of watching the self-destructive paths they sometimes choose. No parent hopes for this scenario; we want our children to be the best of themselves and live a peaceful, joyful life."
What did Panettiere's mom say about her daughter's death?
Vogel, when speaking to NBC News this week, reflected on her daughter's death and revealed details about her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, who was at the scene when she died.
"I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle and it's a very challenging industry and it's not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path,” Vogel said.
"People, they feel pushed into things, even the managers and agents want to control them, and I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way and I wish it were different." In her memoir, Panettiere revealed that when she was promoting Heroes at 16, a member of her team gave her what they called "happy pills" to make her appear peppy and energetic for press. She wrote that they were “the gateway drug that ushered me toward the good of pharmaceuticals and the downfall of addiction.”
What did Lesley Vogel say about Brian Hickerson?
A heavily redacted report from the Greenville Police Department indicated that Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were with her at the Judson Mill Lofts apartment complex when she died. In 2020, Panettiere had filed for a restraining order against Hickerson after he allegedly struck Panettiere in the face with a closed fist at an Airbnb in Wyoming on February 14, 2020. TMZ obtained court documents filed in Hickerson's 2020 criminal case, which included alleged threats he sent to Panettiere following his arrest.
"This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson," Vogel said.
"There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him and frankly, his family," Vogel added. "It's not just him, it's his family. We are trying to get information."
Vogel said that given Panettiere’s history with Hickerson, she plans to speak with police to better understand what happened.
"We had been concerned about this for many years," Vogel told NBC News. She added that she is not currently pursuing a private investigation but said that could change depending on what she learns. "I feel I owe her that." Panettiere's official cause of death has not been determined.
Celebrities respond to Panettiere's death
Gayle King and her CBS Mornings colleagues shared candid responses to Vogel's comments during the Wednesday, Aug. 19 broadcast of the show. "It makes me so sad [about] the opportunity that you have after your daughter’s death that that’s what you choose to leave us with," King said.
Other celebs have paid tribute to the late actress and mother on social media. "I love you. Don't be gone. Don't be gone. Please. Please," actress Selma Blair commented under Panettiere's final Instagram post.
Actress Kim Cattrall, who portrayed Panettiere’s mother in the 2005 Disney movie Ice Princess, shared an Instagram post mourning Panettiere: "Rest in peace, sweet Hayden. Gone far too soon."
Solange Knowles commemorated her Bring It On: All or Nothing co-star in a series of Instagram stories. Hilary Duff remembered Panettiere as "hardworking and effervescent" in an Instagram post.
Actor Justin Chatwin, who appeared alongside Panettiere in her final film, Sleepwalker, told PEOPLE that she "seemed different" when they reunited for the project. He said he could sense that the actress was "struggling" and "really lonely."
Comedian Rosie O'Donnell posted a photo of Panettiere on Instagram, captioned, "Oh my god – heartbroken."
Connie Britton, who starred with Panettiere on the country music drama Nashville, honored her late costar in an Instagram tribute.
"This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright," Britton wrote, describing a photo of Panettiere. "I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now."
Actress Viola Davis, who starred alongside Panettiere in The Architect, described her late co-star as an "old, wise soul with such a deep heart."
