Viewers Accuse People Magazine Of ‘Exploitation’ After Hayden Panettiere Interview - ‘Whoever Is Responsible For Posting This Should Be Questioned Immediately’
Fans pointed out that from a moral standpoint, the magazine should've done more to protect Hayden Panettiere.
lev radin | Shutterstock Hayden Panettiere recently opened up about dealing with her brother's death and other vulnerable topics during an interview with People magazine as their cover story.
Clips of the interview with the 35-year-old actress were recently posted to social media and fans were both concerned and critical. Many are calling on People to take down the videos, and others are asking why the interview wasn't canceled.
Viewers accused People magazine of 'exploitation' after their Hayden Panettiere interview was posted online.
A video from the sit-down posted on People’s Instagram on September 18 showed the "Scream" actress struggling to enunciate her words and slurring her speech while her eyes appeared glazed over. Two videos posted to the publication's social media account also had fans worried.
One featured Panettiere talking about the death of her brother, Jansen, who passed away in February 2023 from an enlarged heart. The other, which sparked the backlash, was a clip of Panettiere gushing over her 9-year-old "mini-me" daughter, Kaya.
"Poor Hayden. Obviously not sober. Do better People," one user commented under the post, joining several other remarks that called out the publication for releasing the interview in the first place.
Another user added that Panettiere's interview reminded them of Anna Nicole Smith, who passed away from an accidental drug overdose in 2007, "There should be a law against doing interviews and also posting videos of a public figure OBVIOUSLY under the influence of something OR just not doing well. Shame. Reminds me of Anna Nicole...."
From a journalistic standpoint, People should've done a better job at protecting Panettiere.
One of the main criticisms that fans pointed out was that People magazine should've either refused to post Panettiere's interview or should have rescheduled it entirely once the actress arrived and they noticed that she wasn't 100% acting like herself.
The "Nashville" actress has been vocal about her struggles with addiction and spoke about it during a July 2022 interview with the publication.
Panettiere recalled that when she was just 15, someone on her team began to offer her "happy pills" before she walked the red carpets.
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"They were to make me peppy during interviews," she said. "I had no idea that this was not an appropriate thing, or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction."
"My saving grace is that I couldn't be messy while on set and working," she continued. "But things kept getting out of control [off set]. And as I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without."
Panettiere eventually entered rehab for eight months, and she credited her stay for giving her the tools and resources to "get over the hump" of her addiction.
While it's unclear whether Panettiere was intoxicated during her recent interview with People, the principle remains. Sure, the magazine had a job to do, but the subject of that job is just a human being, and she should be treated as such.
It also wasn't just People that failed Panettiere, but her team. Someone looking out for her best interest should have prioritized her health and taken the initiative to reschedule.
Too many times, we've seen stars openly struggle with their addiction in the public eye, only for that same addiction to be their downfall in the end.
A fellow journalist explained why Hayden Panettiere's interview should've never aired.
In a TikTok video, Erika Bazaldua Holland admitted that People magazine dropped the ball from a journalistic standpoint. She said she was both "shocked" and "upset" that it was even posted in the first place.
"As a journalist, I want to give you some context, not excuses, on why this may have happened. Hayden is this month's cover story and that's a big deal because the cover story is usually paid when it comes to People magazine," Holland said. "These contracts aren't just little agreements; they can be very lucrative, and they extend beyond the print magazine."
Holland went on to explain how the lines then get blurred because Panettiere agreed to do this interview and talk about her mental health, grief journey, and other aspects of her life.
People magazine agreed, so then it begs the question: Is this a contracted gig that she's required to show up for, or is the responsibility of the journalist to protect her if she showed up and wasn't sober?
Since the video was posted, Panettiere's team told Page Six, "Speaking about her brother for the first time was very emotional for her — and it had been a long and exhausting day for her. She was not under the influence." However, from a moral standpoint, Holland agreed that the interview should've never seen the light of day.
"I don't know what good it does for anybody involved. I do wonder if this will be something that they end up removing," Holland wondered. "I know that as consumers of media, when we speak up, the larger news organizations, they listen."
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.