Hayden Panettiere has described the impact of stress on the body as ‘wild’ following her recent interview where she appeared to slur her words.
During a conversation with PEOPLE last week, the Heroes star, 35, discussed various topics, including the death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere. In a widely shared clip, she talks about her daughter, Kaya, likening her to herself. However, viewers noticed Panettiere seemed to struggle with her speech.
Jansen, who passed away at 28 on February 19 last year, suffered from an undiagnosed heart condition. The Medical Examiner identified the cause as cardiomegaly – an enlarged heart – and complications with the aortic valve.
Bugs Life and Scream actress Hayden Panettiere breaks silence on the sudden death of her 28-year old brother Jansen.
Hayden has revealed he died suddenly from a mysterious heart condition.
Jansen was also an actor, who faced the evil pressures to get vaxxed to work in… pic.twitter.com/3ms9hvQixq
— Died Suddenly (@DiedSuddenly_) September 18, 2024
Panettiere has now shared insights into the physical and mental toll grief has taken on her. During an appearance on Today with Hoda and Jenna, she admitted she thought sharing her mental health struggles would be ‘easier’. She expressed surprise at how her body and mind reacted to grief, saying, “It’s wild what stress and grief and all these hormones running through your body can do… I mean, make you faint. My mother used to get knots on her head when she was stressed – she’s gonna kill me for saying this.”
The Nashville actress also spoke candidly about the different forms stress can take, urging that no one should feel embarrassed or judged for it. She admitted she hasn’t fully processed her brother’s sudden death, noting, “I think it’s something that transforms over time. Maybe the five stages of grief are for people who have had a heartbreak or found out some bad news. Yes, there are five stages, but there’s so much more in between.”
Reflecting on the loss of her brother, Panettiere said, “When you lose somebody that you saw in all the important moments in your life, standing right next to you, it just rocks your world. So it just changes… it changes.”
Hayden Panettiere addresses controversy surrounding her People Magazine interview, in which some people noted her “slurred speech”:
“I hadn’t slept for two days prior to the shoot due to one of my dogs who was recovering from an emergency surgical procedure … I was exhausted.… pic.twitter.com/oEqCItU8IN
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 22, 2024
Last week, Panettiere’s representative addressed public concern about her PEOPLE interview. They clarified to Page Six that discussing her brother for the first time was highly emotional for her, adding, “It had been a long and exhausting day for her. She was not under the influence.”
A source close to the actress also informed Page Six that her team was present throughout the shoot, and Panettiere fully cooperated during the video interview.
What Other Media Are Saying
- ABC News: Hayden Panettiere addresses health concerns over a recent interview with People, attributing slurred speech to exhaustion from caring for a recovering dog and grief over her brother’s death.(read more)
- Page Six discusses Hayden Panettiere addressing her mental and physical health concerns after a recent interview, providing reassurance to fans about her well-being.(read more)
- The Daily Beast: Hayden Panettiere addresses fan concerns over her slurred speech in a viral interview, attributing it to exhaustion and grief, while emphasizing mental health awareness and social media toxicity.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Why did Hayden Panettiere slur her words in the interview?
She was emotional and exhausted discussing her brother’s death.
What caused Jansen Panettiere’s death?
He died from cardiomegaly and aortic valve complications.
How has Hayden Panettiere’s grief affected her?
She said grief has taken a physical and mental toll on her.
What did Hayden Panettiere say about stress affecting the body?
She described how stress and grief can cause physical symptoms like fainting.
What did Hayden Panettiere’s representative say about her interview?
They said discussing her brother was very emotional and she wasn’t under the influence.
