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In the days since Hayden Panettiere passed away at the age of 36, there’s been a great deal of speculation about her final days and the cause of her death.
Throughout her career, Panettiere was open about her struggles with substance abuse and mental illness.
And while we do not yet know if those factors played a role in her death, one of Hayden’s costars says she was showing signs of strain while shooting her final film.
Justin Chatwin, who starred alongside Panettiere in Sleepwalker, has opened up about the experience in the wake of her tragic death.
The actor first met Hayden when she was starring on Heroes 20 years earlier, and he said she seemed “different” when they reunited for the 2025 psychological thriller.
“Hayden seemed different when I met her this time than when I met her in the early years,” Chatwin told People.
Chatwin, who also battles substance abuse issues, said he recognized some of the struggles Panettiere was experiencing.
“I’ve been sober for 15 years, so I know this world of addiction, and Hollywood — it takes, and it takes from youth,” he said.
Panettiere had been open about her past traumas, including in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
While working on Sleepwalker, Chatwin said Panettiere opened up to him about her personal life.
“I could tell she was struggling, and I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s this movie,’” he recalled. “There’s a handful of women that I’ve worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely.”
Despite her struggles, Chatwin remembered Panettiere as a kind and genuine person.
“She had a beautiful heart,” he said.
The actor said he appreciated that Panettiere felt comfortable being vulnerable with him.
“I really liked spending time with her because she took that off, and she was authentic with me about her life and she opened up about her struggles with addiction,” Chatwin explained.
Panettiere’s death has left Chatwin grappling with more than grief.
“I felt sad this morning, but I feel angry,” he said. “Because I want to point a finger at something for this, and it keeps happening.”
“She was delightful and super open and we had a great time together and I’m just saddened that another one got taken down,” Chatwin added.
Panettiere’s cause of death has not yet been publicly confirmed, but a 911 dispatcher described the emergency as a “possible overdose.”
The actress, best known for Heroes and Nashville, returned to acting in recent years after stepping away from the spotlight.
Now, her final performance in Sleepwalker serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the personal battles she was still fighting behind the scenes.
Hayden Panettiere Seemed ‘Different, Lonely’ on Set of Final Film, Costar … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.