Hayden Panettiere's Fans Concerned She Looks 'Unrecognizable' As She Breaks Silence On The Death Of Her Brother
Hayden Panettiere opened up about her younger brother's death and explained how it started her agoraphobia amid fan's reactions about her new "look."
In 2023, Panettiere's younger brother Jansen died due to an enlarged heart and other complications regarding the organ. The 'Nashville' actress spoke for the first time in an interview with 'PEOPLE' about how her loss caused her weight gain and a catalyst for her agoraphobia.
The Mayo Clinic defines agoraphobia as a condition that "involves fearing and avoiding places or situations that might cause panic and feelings of being trapped, helpless or embarrassed."
"He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him. When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul... I will always be heartbroken about [him], I will never be able to get over it. No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss," the 35-year-old said.
She added: "It didn't matter what I did, what I ate. I know stress and cortisol running through your body can do that. Now I think my body was protecting itself, shielding itself from the world." However, as a woman in the public eye, the paparazzi did not give her peace from this even on the day of her brother's funeral.
The New York native was captured in photos after she left Jansen's funeral.
"I had to see horrific paparazzi pictures of myself coming out of Jansen's funeral, which happened in a very private place, and it was shocking. I didn't recognize myself. My agoraphobia came out, which is something I've struggled with in the past," she recalled to the outlet. "Having grown up in this industry, you're terrified if you don't look decent when you walk out the door."
Fans took to the outlet's Instagram comments to speculate about her looks. "Yall should be ashamed posting this interview," wrote one social media user. Another viewer commented, "This gal has really been through it," with three crying emojis. Others in the comments offered their support and grace after her heartbreaking loss.
"I lost my brother (only sibling) 25 years ago in November and it still knocks the wind out of me at times. Miss him every single day. The "what ifs" get me daily," one user penned. "The truth is, you never get over that kind of loss. You just learn to live with the sadness," a fourth wrote.
Despite her phobia and online discourse, her team has helped her gain her confidence back. Panettiere is now gearing up for the release of her newest project 'Amber Alert.'
"It's nice being back. I waited for a while to make sure I was making the right choice about what project I was going to do first," she said.
'Amber Alert,' a Lionsgate action thriller starring Panettiere and Tyler James Williams, will be released on September 27th.
