Hayden Panettiere breaks her silence on an interview with ‘slurred speech’ that left fans fearing for her health

Hayden Panettiere has broken her silence after sparking concerns about her health with a “disturbing” video in which fans claimed the star was “slurring her speech” and was barely able to keep her eyes open.

The 35-year-old actress, who has publicly battled her alcohol and opioid addiction, left her fans speculating that she was “obviously not sober” as she discussed the tragic death of her brother Jansen and her life as a mother to her daughter.

In response to the concerns, Hayden's representatives told Page Six, “Speaking about her brother for the first time was very emotional for her – and it was a long and exhausting day for her.”

They confirmed: “She was not under the influence.”

A source also told the publication that the star was “fully cooperative” during the interview and video. People Aand her team “was on set throughout filming.”

In response to the concerns, Hayden's representatives told Page Six, “Speaking about her brother for the first time was very emotional for her – and it was a long and exhausting day for her.”

In the original interview, Hayden spoke about the death of her brother Jansen at age 28 in 2023 from “an enlarged heart” and about motherhood to her nine-year-old daughter Kaya.

When Hayden spoke openly about her only child being her “mini-me,” her fans expressed concern about her slurred pronunciation.

Hayden said of her daughter, whose father is the star's ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko (48), “She is beautiful and she has turned out just like me.”

“We're talking about nature versus nurture. I mean, this little girl literally grew up to not only have a face like mine, but she has my personality, she's just…

“Maybe she’ll become a director.”

Followers commented: “Slurred speech, can barely keep my eyes open, trying to form long words, obviously not sober. Very sad.” And DWTS pro Peta Murgatroyd wrote: “This interview should be deleted ASAP!”

Another fan wrote: “This is total exploitation. This is an addict who is obviously not sober.”

Others wrote, “You really shouldn't have posted this and caused more harm, this is just sad,” “I'm shocked this was posted… it's uncomfortable and sad to watch,” and “It feels like someone is capitalizing on addiction, this shouldn't have been posted.”

The 35-year-old actress, who has publicly battled her alcohol and opioid addiction, left her fans speculating that she was “obviously not sober” as she discussed the tragic death of her brother Jansen and her role as a mother to her daughter.

Followers commented: “Slurred speech, can barely keep my eyes open, trying to form long words, obviously not sober. Very sad.” And DWTS pro Peta Murgatroyd wrote: “This interview should be deleted ASAP!”

“This is so uncomfortable to watch,” “Um, drunk,” “Please get help, honey,” “This is awful to watch,” and “I see I’m not the only one who quickly ran to the comments to find out what’s going on…kind of disturbing.”

Some fans wrote that the star exudes “Anna Nicole Smith vibes,” referring to the death of the famous Guess model, who died of drug poisoning in 2007.

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for the star for comment.

In the interview, Hayden became emotional as she spoke about her rapid weight gain following the sudden loss of her brother, admitting that she “lived in sweatpants” and “unflattering” T-shirts because she “hated” the way she looked and was terrified to leave the house.

Jansen died in February 2023, and now the 35-year-old former “Heroes” artist has spoken about how much his death affected her, explaining that it felt like she had “lost half of her soul.”

She also revealed that her body was “bloated” due to the “stress” of his death, which left her in a “really bad” and “destructive” state.

“When my little brother died, my body did something I had never seen before,” she said.

“Within a few days I was basically out of my mind. I know that stress and cortisol can do that to the body.”

The star said she tried “everything” to shed the pounds, but no matter what she did, she couldn't lose weight.

“I tried everything, everything unhealthy, everything healthy,” she continued. “It didn't matter what I ate, it didn't matter what I did.”

“My body protected itself, so to speak, and shielded itself from the world.”

Hayden said she became so insecure about her appearance that she developed agoraphobia – the fear of going outside.

The actress' younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died of “an enlarged heart” in February 2023. They are seen together in 2011

While reflecting on her brother's death, Hayden admitted that she still feels like she will never get over the loss of him. They are seen in 2013.

“I lived in sweatpants and T-shirts, things that swallowed me up and didn’t suit me,” she remembers.

“It took me so long to find an outfit that I felt comfortable enough in to leave the house just to meet my friends.

“It became this really bad, destructive hamster wheel where I was wondering, 'Do I feel good enough to go out? I don't feel confident enough, but if I don't go out and keep moving, I'll never get rid of this look.'”

Reflecting on her brother's death, Hayden admitted that she still feels like she will “never get over the loss of him.”

“He was my only brother and it was my job to protect him. When I lost him, it felt like I had lost half of my soul,” she said, holding back her tears.

“I remember saying to someone, 'Don't expect me to ever get over his loss.'”

Jansen died in February 2023 at the age of 28 after being found “unresponsive” by friends in his apartment in Nyack, New York.

Sources later told DailyMail.com that he had previously struggled with drug addiction and had entered rehab a year before his shocking death.

Hayden has spoken openly about her own battle with addiction – previously revealed by When she was 15, someone on her team started giving her “happy pills” to help her “peace out during interviews.”

“I had no idea that this wasn't the right thing to do, or what doors this would open for me in terms of my addiction,” she told the outlet.

At the age of 16, she began drinking and taking opioids regularly – whenever she was not on the set of filming “Heroes”.

“As I got older, I could hardly live without the drugs and alcohol,” she said, revealing that her addiction worsened during the filming of “Nashville” and that she suffered from postpartum depression.

When she entered rehab in 2015, she said it was her idea: “I was the one who put myself in the first treatment center. I drowned.”

She hit rock bottom after filming for “Nashville” was completed in 2018. She sent Kaya to her father Klitschko in Ukraine and ended up hospitalized for jaundice. She told doctors that her “liver was failing.”

Hayden has spoken openly about her own battle with addiction, revealing that at just 15 years old, someone on her team gave her “happy pills” to keep her “at ease during interviews.”

At the age of 30, the well-known personality entered another 12-step program, in which participants are encouraged to lead a life of complete abstinence from all mind-altering substances, including alcohol.

In 2022, she spoke publicly about her problems for the first time: “I thought I had hit rock bottom, but then this trap door opens.”

“I was at the peak of success and I ruined it,” she admitted.

In April, she announced her memoir, Scream And Break Free: Addiction, Trauma, and How the Cheerleader Saved Herself.