Neutrogena addresses backlash after Hayden Panettiere’s claim she was ‘fired’ resurfaces

| Senior TV Reporter Published August 21, 2026 8:42am Updated August 21, 2026 9:16am The late Hayden Panettiere recently spoke about her exit from Neutrogena, which has now sparked backlash (Picture: Getty) Neutrogena has spoken out after mounting backlash to its treatment of former ambassador Hayden Panettiere, who was found dead aged 36. The late Hollywood star, who started her career as a child star and later became best known for starring in Heroes and Nashville, died last week, with the police and drug enforcement agency investigating her death. As many flock to pay tribute and reminisce about a beloved career, old interviews with Hayden are resurfacing, including when she appeared on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast and discussed her shock exit from Neutrogena. During the recent episode, she claimed that the skincare brand attempted to ‘fire’ her in 2015 after she publicly opened up about suffering from postpartum depression. According to Panettiere, her agent managed to push back at the time, but the actor felt ‘that was gonna be it’, and she was ‘not gonna be invited back the next year’. She had been an ambassador since 2005, for a decade in total. Since the clip has been doing the rounds, Neutrogena has faced plenty of criticism and threats to boycott from fans and has now addressed the situation in a statement, admitting the company made her feel ‘unsupported’. ‘We are deeply saddened by Hayden Panettiere’s passing. For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community,’ the social media statement began. It continued: ‘We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time. This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.’ The company praised the late Ice Princess star’s ‘courage’ in talking about her ‘challenges’ and ‘inspiring important conversations’. It also vowed to put in ‘significant investment’ in a ‘long-standing community health partner’ to help support women in need, including those with postpartum depression. The statement concluded: ‘Out of respect for Hayden’s family and loved ones, we did not want to speak out so soon following her passing. Everyone at Neutrogena extends their deepest condolences to Hayden’s family and all who loved her.’ The Hollywood star has died aged 36 (Picture: Janet Mayer/Shutterstock) Panettiere welcomed her daughter Kaya with ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. The couple parted ways in 2018, with the mother-of-one granting Klitschko full custody. In her final interview with Dear Momé in May, she spoke about her decision to do that, and how it wasn’t taken lightly or one she ‘wanted to make’. ‘I was going through a really challenging time in my life… I knew I needed to be able to put her first so that I could get the help I needed and be the mom she needed me to be,’ she said. Then added about her child who lives in Ukraine: ‘I love my daughter, and I’m so proud of the young woman she is becoming. I talk to her all the time, and I feel so connected to her. She’s like a mini-me. ‘By the time I finally got healthy, I felt like it would have been unfair of me to, and selfish of me to, try to pull her out of this life that she had been creating.’ Deals of the Day Amazon has slashed the price of Cetaphil's bestselling sensitive skin products Parents can save up to 30% on Kickers school shoes ahead of the new term The back-to-school hack that's helping parents avoid queues and sold-out sizes Could your hair be wavy rather than straight? This brand thinks so Could your star sign improve your skincare routine? This new beauty launch thinks so Arrow MORE: Hayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend breaks silence on Heroes star’s death Arrow MORE: Pop singer dies aged 30 after freak accident in bathroom Arrow MORE: Emotional Hollywood legend says ‘it’s not normal’ how many young stars are dying