The entertainment world is reacting strongly to comments made by Hayden Panettiere’s estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, following the actress’s sudden death at age 36. Holly Robinson Peete has joined Gayle King in publicly criticizing Vogel for her statement, which many have called insensitive and lacking accountability.
Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, was found dead on August 16, 2026, at her apartment in Greenville, South Carolina. The official cause of death has not been announced, but reports indicate she died of an apparent overdose.
Trigger Warning: This article discusses sensitive topics including death, estranged family relationships, and substance abuse.
Lesley Vogel’s Statement After Her Daughter’s Death
Two days after Panettiere’s passing, her mother Lesley Vogel, who also served as her manager during her childhood, released a public statement to NBC News. In her comments, Vogel spoke about the challenges of growing up in Hollywood.
“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 continued: “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”. She also mentioned Panettiere’s brother, Jansen, who died in February 2023 from an undiagnosed heart condition, saying: “I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace”.
Vogel also took aim at Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, who was with the actress when she died. “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 told NBC News.
Gayle King Calls Out the Mother’s Response
CBS Mornings host Gayle King reacted strongly to Vogel’s statement during the August 19 episode of her show. King read Vogel’s comments on air and expressed her disappointment.
“You know, guys, you read this and all I can think is, ‘Thanks, Mom, for nothing.’…It makes me so sad of the opportunity that you have after your daughter’s death that that’s what you choose to leave us with.”
King’s co-anchor Vladimir Duthiers also weighed in, saying: “Hayden Panettiere spent years publicly acknowledging her own failures, her own struggles. She cannot respond now, and for her mother to use these days after Hayden’s death to just remind the world just how much trauma she caused, it’s unseemly”.
Holly Robinson Peete Slams Lack of Accountability
Holly Robinson Peete, the Hallmark Channel actress, publicly supported King’s criticism and added her own sharp words for Vogel. On August 19, Peete took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her thoughts.
“She’s not wrong. We know this young lady clearly had so many issues, but if you’re not gonna take accountability for the fact that you put her in the business that eventually messed her up then nothing you say has any integrity.”
Peete also pointed out what she saw as missing from Vogel’s statement: genuine maternal grief. “She didn’t even say, ‘I will miss my daughter’ or ‘I loved my daughter the best way I could.’ Has she even mentioned the word daughter?”
The For Your Love actress continued: “There were so many things she could have said to show us that she was a caring mother … And now both of her children are gone. It is all so tragic. rip Hayden”.
A Long History of a Strained Mother-Daughter Relationship
Panettiere had been open about her difficult relationship with her mother for years. The actress started working at just eight months old, and Vogel managed her career throughout her childhood.
In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, and in various interviews, Panettiere described how their relationship became complicated by Vogel’s dual role as both mother and manager. During a May 2026 podcast appearance on On Purpose with Jay Shetty, she shared her feelings about their dynamic.
“Everything was business. I became the confidante and the assistant and the therapist and the shoulder to cry on and everything but her child.”
Panettiere ended their business relationship when she was 19, and they were estranged at the time of her death. In May 2026, she told Us Weekly: “Unfortunately, we don’t have a relationship right now. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t leave the door open for the opportunity to present itself one day”.
Vogel had previously pushed back against her daughter’s version of their relationship, telling Page Six that she believed “the present drama is partially to sell books”.
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Fans Express Anger and Grief on Social Media
Following Panettiere’s death and her mother’s statement, many fans have taken to social media to express their anger and sadness. Vogel’s Instagram account, which is dedicated to her art foundation, has been flooded with comments from upset followers.
One fan wrote on X: “Her ‘mother’ and that terrible ex boyfriend using this tragic moment to make money is just disgusting”. Another commented: “Reading her statement broke my heart, but only for Hayden. This is the statement of an ex manager not a mother”.
Many online have pointed out the irony of Vogel’s comments, noting that as Panettiere’s former manager, she played a direct role in putting her daughter into the entertainment industry at a very young age.
Panettiere is survived by her parents, Vogel and Skip Panettiere, and her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé and Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Klitschko has also spoken out about the “tragic death” of his ex.
An autopsy was completed on August 17, and officials reported “no signs of trauma” were found. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death continues.
Also Read: Jack Coleman Remembers ‘Heroes’ Co-Star Hayden Panettiere and Her Natural Talent for Crying Scenes
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